lackwood as if he had s

"You walk into my house on the worst day of my life and say

didn'

at frighten

mething. Julian simply watched her, his expression carved from s

ike it," he said. "I exp

e the sound cracked. "You're us

" he corrected calmly. "Som

you are? You destroy people for sport. You buy judges. You silence c

rpened, just a fr

back. "You'll

omething flickered in

a

before she c

said quietly. "Your father made choices.

er is in

towering over her now

etween them like

caught. "I'm

f searching for something

looking for, h

ven. Too even. "After your father's company des

Aria said immediate

did," Julian cut in. "You only

bt tried to worm its way

firmly. "I kn

ghtly. Not a smile. Some

e stre

grew louder, sharper. The so

his is about revenge

er, dark and unreadable. "B

omach

eliberate, "to live with the consequenc

her effort. "You want to punis

es

of it stol

whispered. "I w

didn'

jacket again and placed ano

o days," he said. "The judge is unde

flew to t

ensure the charges are reduced. A shor

urned. "And

y. "Maximum sentencing.

lt too smal

he said, her voic

resence overwhelming. "No,"

ision, and she hate

e to sell my lif

o trade it," he r

gripped the edge of the

sn't a

xecution wi

lanced at his watch. "You

d toward

id, the word te

ut didn't t

d hoarsely, "what kind

her then, his eyes d

" he said. "N

ing behind silence, contracts and

ir, her body shaking a

ould

ould

her would r

marry a man

herself