sheer absurdity of the question left

Rev

onfusion hitting her system. "He

t's

es

mfort. He knew exactly how the question sounded. It was invasive. Inappropriate. Ent

e of work?" Lucien asked, his voice d

N

ou aske

, her spine stiffen

ct you outside

etim

ut w

ual

ual

eaned back slightly, putting more distance between the

without blinking. "B

deepened her alarm. He didn't offer a single corporate j

between them. A he

.Ye

ross Lucien's chest. "Trust is a rare commod

e's been g

potentia

caught off

appreci

und her footing. "But that's not the only reason I res

at quiet, unshak

. Lucien, who had spent his entire life measuring

her the light irritated Lucien on a cellular level. Lucien had spent years

r him?" The question lan

ed completely, replaced by the fierce survivor w

heard

r voice trembling with rising indignation. "And it

on the desk. The sheer gravity of his presence swal

hat followed

eyes. She had been sitting in the wrong room, playing a completely d

es. He knew her astronomical hospital bills, her coffee order, the exact

en Inara Hale was backed into a co

gered after meetings. Why his stepbrother's voice softened when he said

Instead, it made the dark, possessive hunger insid

icker. Heavy cream paper. Unmarked. He slid it across the polished wood. The soft shhh of

but refused to touc

hand flat on the d

ped up to his

imply tapped the heavy cover

feel like a cage. With trembling fingers, Inara slowly f

No non-disclosure agreeme

marriage

erile, black ink on the page seemed to blur, the word

color completely draining f

of

rriage p

es

al agonizing seconds, no sound

ure. No apology in his eyes. No attempt to soften

voice. It was barely a w

e about thin

d him as if it were on fire. "I

don

rely kn

ow en

ow my r

n replied, the chilling certainty in his

life putting Noah's needs before your own. I know you will drown before you ask anyone for help. An

tranger's lips made a wave of profound, terrifying

her throat tight, entir

t her for a lon

ade me want something I can't control. Because my b

stead, he gave her the only one t

his steel-gray eyes locking he