ed thinking too much was the

t drew her body into a tight curl while her fingertips clenched the

e brushed against her skin. "You're in bed with m

e only respons

as the relentless pace of his movements swept her under, le

arged atmosphere thickened

her chin with firm gentleness while his dark gaze sharpened. In a quiet murm

from her grasp, Leanna faintly sensed him lea

rything finally blurred into darkness, n

ep, dreamless rest that lasted

nna stirred awake, immediately noticing the

e, yet he had continued again an

overwhelming, leaving h

er side of the bed, Leanna real

table lay what looke

down her shoulders, revealing the scattered ma

othes on, she reached for th

a note he left at all. Instead, it w

ed over Leanna as the

r family truly b

, but one thing she understood perfectly-Carl could never scrape together te

written out ten million as casua

ts, she suddenly felt an odd hol

eant to cut things off completely, ensur

quiet laugh slip

t it, the arrangement

ad been nothing more than a f

orth ten million-no matter how she calcul

was remain in her own world and make

he would finally have the means to strike

anna folded the check carefully and he

a scam a

was completely valid and

g her, every step sending a dull, pulsing ache through her lower body, as

e vibrated with a m

appeared a short c

notification appeared-a

appeared, its blade creeping forward with chilli

onscious in a hospital bed, fragile and motionless, her body surrounded by a tangle of medical

her eyes flying wide as the

g voice rang out. "Did you see that? You have thirty minutes to come back. If

ome, her fingers tightening around the phone. Anger flared

y's life-she had thrown herself forward to shield Leanna, and t

family had been the one payin

Melody's condition remained in his hands,

pected, she wo

ief message before dragging her aching bod

.

bank building, Wesley stood

hed Leanna struggle slightly as s

k black desk, his fingers tappe

ensity settled

that last night had

d at the start his movements

lowed every trace of hesitation, and he found himself unable

rembled weakly against the rumpled

point become nothing short of

gentle, she stubbornly pressed her lips together, biting do

d inside him when he realized

d. Shifting back a little, he murmured her name under his breath as if savoring