ng on the bathroom floor with her back pressed to the

her head up with effort, every muscle stiff and uncooperative. A

ruth into her heart-Julian didn't care for her. Clinging to him

aby, then she would

erself to stand. She staggered out of the bathroo

y had long understood the strained bond b

her mouth, and with each swallow, a bit of

tian Price, the butler, entered with

Powell commissioned for his grandfather's birthday. Will

iage contract demanded she and Julian appear inseparable and they visi

night, she couldn't imagine stand

ith trembling fingers, saying, "Will you be going w

she forced herself to call him. The ph

n Rita's bed, too ex

her frozen in place. She forced her lips into a fai

calm expression hinting that he

a face drained by a sleepless night, shadows etched beneath her eyes. She painte

gates. The window lowered, and one detail struck her instantly-J

hands curled tight, diggin

ight with Rita, even taking the time to

oke through her t

lip before she responded,

cold and cutting. "Do you really want Gra

With no choice, she opened the d

side the car, neither w

twist. His clothes, his uncharacteristic c

r. Her chest heaved, an

startled, but before he could ask anything, Yvonne s

e, giving him the very treatmen

without a single word

gates, she unfastened her seatbelt before it fully b

ound hers. Irritation sharpened his voice. "Enough of this. Do you

nt until only a brittle smile remained. "Relax. I

ng line. After a tense pause, he murmure

ent yearning for him blurred her eyes with unshed tears, but she

oice steady, she added, "Cut ties with her. If we're going to act like an inseparable

it made her sound. Still, some stubborn corner of

unreasonable demand. He gave a sharp,

ommanding, drifted from inside the mansio

r, which was wheeled by Jor