om exp

ers surged forward. Someone screamed.

at the podium, staring at me like

dn't b

grounding, possessive. He didn't look at m

ise,"

d so hard I thought

ice was ice. "Wh

ed his head. "I married the wom

aff, the guests, the press. Victoria Hale was frozen beside

ted t

tay

. And if I was going to be a pawn in Adrian Ashford's ga

phone in my face. "Is it true you were in

ice. "Did you marry

- how do you resp

pped in fr

silent. "My wife and I have no further comment

ok my hand. A

't loo

an's eyes on me

-

ride was

ands shaking in my lap. The city lights blurred past the win

ave yo

have

ngry," Ad

n't a

t's

l no

told you there

r than I meant. "You should have told me he'd be there. You sh

kno

saying

ere dark and unreadable. Just like his brother's. But no

el

u," he said quietly. "But if

e it wa

t two years loving a man who never saw you. Tonight, I made him s

." My voice cracked

e th

"It's not. And I'm not

et for a l

u're not

what

dn't

s worse than anythin

-

was dark whe

oor. Locked it. Pressed my back against it an

hen I

at the city lights outside went blurry. Long enou

ye

ears of telling myself it was nothing, that I was no

hen t

t, he

use someone e

a knock at

enn

oice. Soft

aw

ought

't wan

en: "I brou

laughed

opening t

t outside. And I'll be in the s

ps. Ret

d on th

door an hour later, there wa

ll

a

sorr

ed up

ran

ive him. But I di

-

g, I woke to my

ndreds of texts. And a headli

in Brothers at War O

d at th

I scr

ian. Of the ring on my finger. Of my mother

eady dug i

eady found

t of my roo

coffee in hand, reading something on h

've

one's

is phone. "It

They know where my mother is. The

enn

top

owly. The way you'd app

cause I let t

art s

ha

"The rejected girl who married the forgotten twin. It's

ou plann

ont of me. "The terrace. The contract. T

oom t

hy

"And he will. He always does. He'll come for you. H

smi

ll be

red a

using me

p." He tilted his head.

ped back. "T

enn

bout me. This is about him. It's always been about him. Yo

ession f

or a s

it wa

he contract. You took the money. Your mother's bills are pa

a p

ped closer. "And I'm teac

ok my

t want

o l

orbell

oth

And something in his face shifted - surpri

ere," h

who h

fore Adri

en it," I

looke

en he

aiting for t

ed to t

e ope

-