aptive for a long, silent moment. Then, his eyes slowly drifted down, taking in th

ice devoid of any emot

me what happened at the hotel. Everything." His tone was not one of

he violent tremor deep inside her. She told him about

nt, his eyes narrowed in thought. Then he s

y investment is unta

nd went bl

didn't leave his filthy marks on you. And if I find even a single one," he adde

f her very being. He still didn't trust her. The near-death experience moments ago had earned h

with absolute certainty, that defiance here would mean bei

ng it deep. She met his gaze, her own eyes unblinking, transfo

ool, level tone that surprised eve

The flicker of surpris

With deliberate, slow movements, she untied the belt of the bathrobe. The hea

e skin: the angry purple on her ankle, the darkening handprint on h

challenge. There was no shame in he

. "You have what you wanted to see. In exchan

sharp assessment of a businessman weighing an asset. He saw the proof of her story in the bruises he had in

lieve

of the couch and tossed it to her. She caught it, wra

p, towerin

, tomorrow at ten a.m.," he said. "A

way, leaving her standing alone in th