tely out of sync with the polished crystal and silk of the ballroom. I knew in that instant that Duke was

and confusion, stood defenseless against Duke's newly arrived, disciplined security detail. Stephanie was frozen

emained locked on mine. He wasn't

smine. The de

ional crises, suddenly activated, cool

posed, and currently trapped by Duke's men in his own home. Choosing Jason meant choosing a messy, toxic battle against a force I now knew was power

calculated escape route. He had already settled my business debt and acquired my company-my foundation of freedom. Going to

I chose my business

ess. This was the moment I became a true Thorne heir: not b

e top step of th

tep was a declaration. Whispers intensified, b

s he realized I wasn't waiting for him to figh

rked, starting toward the

tercepting Jason before he could take a single step. They didn

nough to feel the heat radiating off his body, close enough to smell the e

e the tremor in my hands. I didn't reach for the bracelet

eirloom. I am a strategic partner. You own the company, but you do not own my mind or my loyalty. Y

kind of respect, crossed his face. His lips

t. His hand instantly moved to the small of my back, a gesture of possessive cl

g me toward the main door

barrier, roared my name. "JASMINE!

hat word, family, sou

rs, Duke paused, tilting his head ba

s broken, Thorne," Duke stated, his voice ringing with

uke practically shielded me with his body as he e

he curb. As Duke smoothly opened the back door, I took one last glance back at

ng document-flew through the air, thrown with desperate force from the balco

pression instantly vanished, replaced by an expression of pure, conce

I asked, hea

y into the car and slammed the door. He got in beside me,

ment, Duke?" I insi

the crushed paper in his hand, his jaw c

de gone. "A non-compete clause. He just locked you out of your new company for five years, or