Valerie's satin-soft skin brushed his palm,

ood before him, the fabric barely able

mself, catching the flawless sweep of s

ring at him-tear-rimmed, wide, shining with raw pa

hurling herself in from the upstairs wind

arp tremor down her spine. She jerked her chin up, stunned

ed her arm up, fingers locking around his throat with lethal precision. "Go ahead, try somet

eland felt something far more dangerous ignite deep inside him. Her eyes,

ars marking her cheek-none of it dimmed the

actically draped themselves over him, she c

it Leland like a spark catching dry tinder. For the first ti

eland slid an arm around Valerie's narrow w

e murmured, his voice dropping into a teasing dra

to hi

ld send her-the world's most terrif

d her mixed up wi

ared to flatten him, but the moment she shifted her

ng her strength until her knees nearly buckled, a

uscle and irritatingly good looks, she f

restling with the fog tryin

ds. "Someone drugged me. If I end up in your bed, that's on you-not m

Leland, equal parts disbel

dared to talk

erie pivoted sharply and strode tow

tub brimmed with hot water-clea

ub, and a sharp sting flared across her right wrist, sending

jury instantly, a flicker o

wrist with steady fingers, and murmured in a low, urgent ton

p, curving behind his neck. With a swift, almost feral pu

roke. One arm locked around her waist, drawing her ag

of his robe, tracing the hard lines of hi

blood spilled from her reopened wound, sliding over his torso i

lips, brushing against her mouth. He caught her wrist and shoved it above

erated. She shifted her balance, snapped her knee hard into the side of his t

, rolling her weight over him until she was str

eir breaths mingled in the cramped heat, ev

nt was about to snap, Leland's pho

. She retreated to the far edge of the tub, ch

ld. How the hell had one dose of that drug torn

up through the water, eyes blazing with intent, leaning

drove her left nails straight into the half-healed gash on her right wrist,

d cleanly through the

as he watched her deliberately woun

of the tub, water dripping from his skin as h

er one way, instinct dragging her the opposite-he

e and I swear I'll..." she hi

Leland had already brou

the bitter tang-an extremely rare antidote, the type desi

antidote, and the drug's grip slipped away one frayed

hen picked up his phone to call hi

mples softened her features in a way that made her devastatingly gorgeous. But

way with a slow, controlled touch and stayed close, p

before the door f

taken away by the presi

he floor like gunfire. Her gaze landed on Valerie, and she froze. "What the hell!

life, do you?" Leland's wor

r Valerie's wrist instead, her expressi

es and she would've bled out. She needs suture

my medical suite upstairs," Leland

at's the presidential facility. The moment you take her there, every reporter in this city wi

n, gathered Valerie against his chest, and stro

Guests were gone. Only hotel staff and his security team remained,

firmly in his arms, her body cocooned in a bl

nd that followed was the low, measured thud of his steps-each one landi