aged with a soun

wedding gown's silk. The darkness was absolute, thick as velvet, pressing against her eyeballs. She couldn

wed hollows, as he touched the flame to a candle on the entryway table. He didn't light the overhead

make her f

ling windows where Manhattan's skyline glittered like a circuit board. Julian walked to the windows, his silh

e heard herself say. Her voic

cold metal, turned. Nothing. The electronic lock showed red,

d from the shadows holding two wine glasses, the liquid inside catching t

ood year. It seems appropriate for... a memorable night. Th

her ruined skirt, the crystal beads cut

ays been disappointing." He took a sip, his eyes never leaving her face. "By the time they finish, the hotel staff will be m

nt. Kloe could see it now, the controlled force in every movem

wife. The understanding partner." He set his glass down, the crystal ringing against ma

e tailoring of his shirt revealing the architecture of muscle be

nty-

face when the news broke. The trust fund-God, the trust fund, and ho

nty-

ame short, her vision tunneling. She saw tomorrow's breakfast, the knowing looks f

ent

showed nothing. No tension, no do

fte

etween them, her fingers closing around the wine glass he'd aband

en

too fast, the alcohol burning pathways to her stomach. It spilled down her chin, droplets

ed to something unreadable. He closed the distance between them in two strides, a

ed, his voice a vibrati

ng her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. His pupi

lower lip. "Are you waiting for him to apologize? To explain that Candy

word tore fr

power, Kloe. No leverage. Walk out that door and you're the discarded bride, the l

pped back. The loss of hi

id, and turne

blood, mixing with the adrenaline, the rage, the desperate humiliation of being seen so c

a

surprise, then something predatory and pleased. He recovered instantly, his hand

his mouth an inch from h

whisper, raw and broken an

f her neck, fingers threading through her updo, pins scattering to the floor like shrapnel. He p