a's

, the lette

ght from the start. Nev

face Ethan. He didn't flinch. He remained silent. He simply loo

n't do

ell me it's

rward. "That's not

ote this before he passed away, but why? Why did he co

cause he was suspicious."

ou still haven't responded." "Wer

muttered. "

ame like a sma

as I retreated. "You knew,

n effort t

me the impression that everything was typical. You

Richard had adversaries. risky ones. I would have made yo

m alr

dense.

my back on him. It seemed as if the room

e became soft

ver, I have never lied a

"You really believe that

he only thing sust

rned. "What is

se that pursued Richard haven't stopped." Yo

lood

g that someone d

ave a

"Why didn't you i

act." to lawfully safeguard yo

eemed to be collapsing under my f

me a dire

a bargain

h became

barg

you become my wife. In return, I pay off your debt, safeguard your compan

quick chuckle.

'm

f it were a commercial dea

romising you safety.

you receiv

Yo

art at the sound of

on his face. He w

, "I get to keep you." "E

s tre

nt to po

want to have sex with. Ever since Richard first introduced us, I have adored you. For years, I suppressed

ulp, my chest gave

rowning, too. And the only one who

, the room

o covered the truth behind kisse

a folder. One

ed to ac

think," I

. If you are innocent, it doesn't matter to them. What Richard promise

rry. And being married to y

Ye

of the year, w

tated. "

u'll wan

't respo

pages, my hands were shaking. Dates, cl

ou signed i

ng out for the id

bled as I glan

ou murd

es became g

ish for hi

h twitche

heard someth

is reality or the fact that it had no

contract, I to

d to be

urned and left the room wi

s wen

ext to me, still unopene

in, my ph

're not safe. Not even for a day.

gas

closet, shoved the jackets that we

d loc

it while

ed three it

flash

y made o

hard standing side by side, shaking

in, my ph

is the cause of Richard's death.

ed at t

e. But maybe he had

lso be mine if I

bed and reopen

. My destiny wa

y

one

many

y signature cau

grabbed

ain just before I h

before the year is

ooden floor after rolling off the

to the entrance door. It

adn't move

up. There was silence in the apartment. No foot

icture still gripped in my palm as I c

hallway turned on

yelled in a

resp

bedroom and locked the door behi

ne buzz

are. The past is now coming for

I was goi

and shoved them into my pocket. I knew they were no l

t and opened the window. I climbed out onto t

't turn

ley behind the building as I d

se to check w

k off

till felt something like

bak

ries and flour, and i

lf-swept, the countertops were vacant, and the calendar on the wall still s

es and dropped onto the flo

ined fro

t trembl

here looking in

gone so quickl

s a wife, a baker,

een the fixation of a live man

get Ethan's comme

herish

to think h

think he

r, does not c

compliance or hold

ger in by leaving the

en I heard a

the directio

voice ca

Open up,

ained

once more,

e that you

ood by himself outdoors, his hair brushed back from

crazy ey

ly opened

gs you here

had no idea where

eeded

m." "The entrance of the pent

o someone *

was is no longer there. Ho

llow. "What k

ttle black velvet pa

s a gunsh

in crimso

It was habit, not comfort, that had led me to

an put the bulle

Dorian Vale is his name. He leaves no fingerprints behind.

hroat as I gazed a

d with someone like hi

." because he believed he was

d yo

re partners once. Only once. When I rea

, Richard

tempted to entice me back in. He attem

"What are

contracts weren't only showpieces. Dorian d

churned as

sold b

remaine

dispute i

d, "I need to know something." W

make it more difficult to lawfully touch you. It enables me to transfer you

rns me in

t makes you

tween us as we gaz

and a ring can mend me like

the strongest lady I have ever met. How

gas

me gently, as if he was wo

s while kneeling in

. Even if it's just on paper, I want you *mi

n't ba

s una

touched mine as

ot c

kissed as if everythin

atshirt and his tongue tasting like h

ed to d

s unable to ig

d up in the corner of the bakery

I accept?

rried in t

f I de

en I discover an other

hisper, I planted a kiss o

rew. "All

l sig

ed into

But on one

t is

out everything. Concerning Dorian

e one nod.

picture out of my po

his. Who is the guy be

becam

orian," he mur

ed. Then

e grabbed the picture from m

sibl

gave

een. The one who pulls the strings, however, is him. *Da

nce more before I

wn number

as a

stre

he ba

the ou

aring a black coat was looki

grin

ld out

lighter in

flames reflecte

ck, my heart th

in the dark coat had vanished across the street, but a de

pward, engulfin

"We need to le

. Is it a warning,

id, "No," in a somber t

I tucked it inside my coat and pushed the fla

oded out the rear door. As we slipped into the alley

." "We can't simply walk aw

e pursuing *you*

enuine the w

longer jus

ved as

air had an ashy stench. My hands continued to shake. I w

a cracked lip. My eyes had th

know who

nd, Ethan put a towel over my s

aid, "I need to know something." Was this fir

led his

ke a

e than this city, my company, or my name-*you*,"

art th

. "I lose control if

No. You *take* charge. The pe

ed my bottom lip as hi

o deceive you once again. You will learn everything if you remain with me

le tear fall

feel broken,

ed it wit

split

er, I signed

eemed odd

Cole

ved me. Then, as if sealing something

arked, "You just married a mil

ou just save

my hand

dn't seem like an a

on was one o

cross the ceiling while cuddled up in

xt to me, looking

as able to trace the IP address," he continued. "T

An

isn't the

oted.

nearer. Someone who has access to

Wh

my eyes g

n-law's

ked. *M

She has probably been keeping an eye o

y stomach. "What

ply Richard's younger sister. She was his Black strea

I don't be

to find out like this." The identical guy from the photograph

e Da

its bec

asn't b

was *

t me in discovering t

ttered. "Or maybe she's attemptin

d as I kept my e

re was an

my phone

wall-mounted screen. His private

IGGERED BASEM

stol from the safe beside the b

amiliar wit

e a he

rged. "Never run, no

tly down the cor

ights

, another al

age is disabled. Cam

ttered an

-after that. The private

ickly, so I tightened

tensed as he po

ator made

s opened

of us

chard** who

d from the fo

ed his weapo

possible,

owever, was

inn

he was clutchin