mbling, "He drove you to jump, so I tied him up at the highest p

ing with raw desperation, stripped away any trace

a little closer. "Tell me, what could Bruc

his hands through his hair and rocked in his c

e pinched out the flickering candle, then seized

king hard as confusi

came crashing back, color drained

hing wrong, there are proper, lawful ways to make him pay. Even for Mia's s

ady guess what

r had shattered Kayce's soul-driven him pa

y window, Asher stood, absorbing

that room was nothing like the obedient, s

ng, and dangerous in a way that b

thing like this, hypnotizing a

business tugged him back to reality. He turned

e hallway again, Scarlett had alr

he officer in the room earlier

r head, Scarlett respo

inct, her pace steady and deliberate-

e other th

t encounter-long enough for Scarle

not a flicker of emotion stir

oolly, her voice even. "Is

of her face, he might have mistak

hair, a frown cutting across his features. The wor

before pausing, realizing

than before. "Do I really need to spell it out? Whatever we were

l landed l

behind them. Without warning, he grabbe

she wanted was a scene on the police stat

here have you been?" Ashe

enough to freeze the air between t

very trace of meekness. She was no longer t

she said calmly, eyes steady.

pt over her, har

nt woman he'd known-this S

disbelief. "You've been putting on an act this whole ti

tone carried no warmth, only finality. "From this moment on, whatever path I

with hers, and somet

him with quiet obedience now

fire in her gaze drew

ry breath, every shiver, instinctively familiar. And he had ne

ightening his jaw. Before restraint could inte

olve; muscle and memory still re

erpowered her easily, the same strength that ha

the warmth of his chest pressing against hers

chest with cold despair. She felt as if somethi

nt and burning. Yet beneath her sorrow, a

the hidden box cutter. In a single, decisive moti