the Morgan estate, Maia pulled ou

ith the Morgan family.

nto her coat pocket, turning around to give t

liar. It might as well have be

Morgans was over. From here on,

w breath, Maia g

walk away, she collided

t before she could fall, a hand reache

deep voi

re moment, emotion flickered acr

still react like that. Yet somehow,

ing in front of her - the son of Wront

her arm free and put a few p

r so slightly as he took in

mbled the bright, cheerful girl from

care. He didn't say "got out" - perhaps to spare her dignity

when she loved him out

cook just to see him smile, done

her in public, never called her his. Still, she held a firm belief,

psed - when she was framed and wron

d the disgust and warning in his eyes

ense had come from Vince

's father from the wreckage of an accident. That one act of

's daughter had been Maia. N

rangement had fal

osanna wasn't surprisi

thought back on it, a soft

ing her chin. "You must be here for Rosanna, Mr. Ward

now, being addressed so formally made him real

in Vince's chest,

round the edges. "Four years, Maia.

ver she was near. Now, all he felt from her

rown deepen, the quiet

villa behind her. "I heard your family came to pi

That's none of

yes - bright and guarded - flic

than he expected. "I just wanted

girlfriend? You're nearly engaged, aren't you? Imagine Rosanna catching you circling around me - how do you think she'd take that? So,

was just silence - the same kind tha

t. "Why don't you do us both a favor

grabbing her wrist before s

were turning red. "Maia, it's true. Rosanna and I are getting engaged. But things don't ha