Austi

arp charcoal suit a stark contrast to the

remonial black leather Cut bearing the

ght toward the center of the hall, stopping two p

thick air. "I received your emergency dispatch. As Chief Treasurer, I am h

or. "This is internal Harrington territory! You have no leg

il a formal claiming oath is entered into the master ledger, Miss Austin's assets remain exclusively her private proper

was slipping through his fingers fo

e, and grabbed her roughly by the w

you hadn't insisted on parading around tonight, Helena would have sig

rip. "Let go of me! You're the pathetic loser who couldn't even

r, turning on each other like rabid

hem with ic

ling as they stripped away everything I loved. Watching them

bellowed, his face

he heavy brass head of his cane

owl of pain, collapsing f

s eyes burning with the cold cruelty

ark right now! From this second on, she is Donovan's bound widow. Lock her in the re

pure horror. In an outlaw club, a deceased member's w

id you loved me!" she cried, c

, shrank away from her, averting hi

d brought forward the heavy branding stamp, heated from the kit

cing, hysterical shriek from Bernadette as the irrevocable seal of Property of Do

ad chosen this path when she deci

d agony, completely broken, while the Enforc

strained, ugly smile. "Victor, brother... the girl is just acting out o

ted, pulling out the thick, embosse

folder direct

, along with the deeds to our three central machine faciliti

pages, his eyes widening slightly

. "This single contribution is enough to fund the Alliance's s

eting Hubbard's murderous glare. "I would rather dump every cent in

ers shifted, their hands twitching near their holsters, but the presen

un sobbed from the floor, pounding his f

destroyed you,

lf of the Alliance Supreme Council, Miss Austin, we accept your extraord

Victor's hand, a low, gravelly chuckle

ge, heavy authority that cut straight through t

he room like distant thunder, fr

back half a pace, his iron cane rising sli

oak doors of the VIP

den flooring echoed in the dead silence, each rotation t