The Runaway Bride's Secret Billionaire Protector

ity, her reflection a strang

nch lace and silk that felt less like a garment and more like a shroud. Her skin was the

n shallow, terrified gasps, trying not to expand her ri

round her neck. It was cheap, tarnished, and the only thing i

Fran. Just s

memory to the surface. Lance. H

an. Don't be dramatic

her ear for hours. It was a sound of dismissal.

r banged open a

d, her hand fly

dress that was cut too low and hemmed too high, a delibera

he walked behind Francesca, her eyes meeting Francesca's in the mirror. Th

f the veil. "Such a waste. This was supposed to be mine, you know.

chair scraped harsh ag

ng but her chin high. "Take the dress. Take the

red, just for a seco

s for fun?" Dollie laughed, a brittle sound. "No th

ore Francesca could respond. The stepm

moved with the efficiency of a general on a battlefield. She adjusted Fran

as rising, a tide of black water in her throat. "I

ty dropped. "Your father's company is leveraged to the hilt. If you don't walk down tha

in the air, heav

nto place. She picked up a crystal flute from the si

aneen said. "Drink. It

't wan

, Francesca. Or I tell Lance the full truth abo

The blood drain

ole in her soul for five years. If Lance knew what she suspected-that the baby hadn't just died,

k so hard the liquid sloshed over

dr

metallic. Bitter. Lik

ing the glass back. She wiped her mou

ck her makeup in the mirror. "Entertaining the

A maid, head bowed. "Mr

dug into the soft flesh of Francesca's bic

empty. No father waiting to walk her out. Just two

wedding guests. They l

The floor seemed t

e didn't sound concerned. He grab

as blinding. A black stretch Lincoln sat in the dri

ed. Her tongue felt thi

called out from the porch. She was wavi

rancesca into th

door sla

ic

e lock engaging

. The air conditioning was on full b

og in her brain. Why was she so di

er was up. A black wall. Above it, a small

began

e cool window. She watched the famil

d onto the

a

left. The car

ment made the world spin.

ck

rtition. "Hey! You're

river didn't eve

heat that started in her stomach and spread to her fing

cham

her a drink. She had give

ers felt like sausages, clumsy and numb. S

Call

ed at th

Ser

tear leaked out, hot an

window again. A gre

Private Road.

e man who lived in the shadows. The man with the me

mal, cut through th

edding. She was being d

" she gri

lock. It was an old-f

mb and forefinger. It was s

Her nail bent back, snapping to th

ic

ck pop

onsole, a red warn

ng up. The trees w

curved sharply

s. The car lurched, mome

now o

her eyes. She g

hrew the