His Virgin Replacement Bride

my first kiss wou

eath, or the weight of the diamond ring on my trembling finger. It was him. The man standi

pposed to be

pposed to b

as certain the entire cathedral could hear it echoing off the marble walls. The music had started-soft v

u

it. But my body was fr

brittle, rehearsed. "You have to walk. Now. If

ting. The man I was walking toward was Andre De Luca-billionaire, pow

ught I was

eal b

disappeare

a phone call-I knew everything in our world was about to collapse. Our family's d

ess merger-her hand in marriage for silence, wealth, prote

she

needed

o

nly one who cou

anner whispered as she

llowe

Not

The invisible siste

r name. Her custom

arry the most danger

pulled by invisible strings. My limbs mo

peak. Don't shake.

ia leaders in disguise, senators with bloodstained smiles.

enter of it

e De

ut from the shadows themselves. His jaw was sharp, expression unreadable, hi

to look at him w

eautiful-silent, devastating, and imposs

as I reache

thing in

round mine. Firm. Po

rmured, loud enough

dy," I lied, my vo

link. "You never

inance. Elena used to mock it-unti

ded m

e," h

I d

l stepping into a c

ows I didn't mean. A priest who didn't question

ame th

eane

d my

wasn't passion or tenderness-it was possess

nearly

it wa

husband

ad no idea who

eption

e flutes

d from liars d

th strangers. I kept my voice soft, m

tracked me from a

barely

n't ne

I felt it in my bones-a silent

ld unr

o

the doors to the penthouse s

belong to me, while Andre unbuttoned his cufflinks in the shadows nea

s spoke for

he finally said, voic

tir

s quiet when yo

art s

" I asked t

air seemed to thicken as his eyes rake

ding someth

Then shoo

N

tasted l

ed tow

underclap in t

ged your

h

ething different

y jaw with a gentleness that f

re sh

I'm

tly but firmly, forcin

lie t

reathe. I co

his thumb brushing my lower lip. "Wh

upted in g

e said suddenly, letting go of me.

lin

ned hi

he added softl

the master bedroom, leaving

e damn wedding dress. I didn't cry. I couldn't afford to. Instead, I s

a under a lie so massive i

n his world. Hi

ad no w

ng started wit

number

ked i

a mistake,

d turne

" I whi

the other end.

I ran because

uth w

e are

ped in. You have no idea

a, pl

he said. "He'

ne wen