nimosity that crackled in the air. Her gaze flickered to the simple silver chain around Azura's neck, a piece Killi

ing to the woman with a forced, polite smi

e a manacle. "What's the matter?" he taunted, his grip tightening.

terested in legal briefs, Mr. Sinclair, not your personal a

enuine confusion on her face. "Kil

is voice deliberately ambiguous, "You should go. We'll continue our... therapy... ne

er wrist free from his grasp. "If you're no

never taking his eyes off A

d been a man made of ice and sharp edges. To see him show even a hint of warmth to an

He simply sat behind his massive desk, picked up a report, and began to read, pointedly ignoring her.

ped into the doorway. "If you're too busy, Mr. Si

r in a slow, insulting appraisal, as if he were assessing a pie

on. "That's right. Which is why I'm here. And since you seem willing to ri

et, extracted a sleek, heavy black card, and with a look of supreme arrogance, tucked it into

legal fees, I'm willing to buy your time personally. Spend the night with

egrading thing anyone had ever said to her. A white-hot rage, pure and blinding, surged through

ere no longer mocking; they were glacial. "Feel insulted?"

she spat, struggling against his hold. "

ed, his face inches from hers. "Don't feed

andescent. "Because," she said, each word precise and deadly, "I want a front-row seat whe

made his composure crack. A flicker of something-pain? shock

e cold, hard wall, the impact knocking the wind out of her. He slammed hi

impact. Pain radiated f

e possession, his breath hot

w rumble of thunder. "Before that happens, I

. This wasn't the cold, controlled man she knew. This was something else. Something wild and broken and