curtains, hitting Alayna directly in the eye

ed behind her eyelids-the blinding panic, collapsing to the floor, and then... a solid wall

ruptly. The r

was flattened, bearing the distinct, heavy imp

ch aroma of freshly ground coffee and sizzling bacon filled

in the kit

that clung to the thick, powerful muscles of his shoulders and back. He was

s of perfectly cooked sunny-side-up

mmediately drop

ross the back of his left hand, the dr

eeks. She stepped forward, her voice trembling. "Your hand... I'

all wooden table. He didn't e

d, his voice a low, reassuring rumble. He pushed a steaming mug of bla

ressive pounding rattled the front door. Som

BANG-

ried down the hall and

y-five hurricane. She wore oversized Chanel sunglas

ured nails digging in, and shrieked, "Are you b

nd's mouth and dragged her inside, slamming the

ulating eyes scanned the hallway and instantly locked onto C

ely grabbed Alayna by the wrist, yanking he

ur mind? You actually went through with it? That's the 'Cruz Clayton' from the prenu

pered back rapidly. "He gave me an ultimatum to go back to Jordon on my kn

n a string of vicious expletives. She pulled Alayna into a tight, fi

to the kitchen, her heels clicking aggressively on the floorboards. She

hell are you, and what is your annual income? I am Alayna's lawyer and her best frien

He leaned back in his wooden chair, his broad s

room. He looked at Kourtney with the unblinking, absolu

't cover the cost of the handbag on your shoulder. But I read the twenty

oluntary half-step back, visibly rattled by the sheer, unyieldi

ng hand on Kourtney's arm to diffuse the suffoc

threatening finger at Cruz. "If you steal a single dime from her, or cross any physi

ched upward in a quiet smirk. H

e for a film production hearing, and dug into her designer purse.

eed. Call me if he breathes wrong," Kourtn

fell sil

Cruz with an apologetic wince. "I'm rea

, completely unbothered. "I

ry fee for a box of household supplies sitting on the por

warning banner took o

PENDED. BAL

ecking her savings, her credit cards, her emergenc

ides. The blood drained from her

accounts and corporate salary draws before she could even submit the certified m

ked down over her shoulder, reading

murderous rage spiked in his chest, making

ed out a crumpled twenty-dollar bill,

gerously soft, a calm surface hiding an o