n Wilc

oldfir Creek smelled of wet wool

glass windows as I walked through the heavy double doors,

enches near the main counter, their hushed laughter m

nd registry witnesses were whispering behind their clipboards, thei

him," a young woman whispered, adjusting her silk scarf. "Left him

's completely ruined. Since that carriage wreck in the mountains three years ago, he hasn't taken a single step without that wheelchair. On top of that, the

toward the furthest alcove where

s in a custom, matt

try hall, the cut of his bone structure

as if sculpted from flawless, white marble by

espoke charcoal coat, and a heavy cashmere blank

olute, unnerv

apping of fingers, no visibl

silence that pushed the rest

amp skirt and walked direc

t the slate floor, the only sou

oking straight down into eyes that were an i

at the desk," I said, keeping my voice s

locking onto mine with the cold weight of a preda

opping several degrees below the am

dn't

until the skin on the back of my neck

lden stare without blinking, "let's get married instead. A legal contrac

arch appeared o

, velvet baritone that resonated through m

his tone. "I am a crippled outcast. A man who cannot walk, stripped of his family succe

ds. "I have my own career and my own assets to protect from the Maddox family. I need a valid, legally binding marriage before five o'clock

died my face for se

atures as if searching for a hidden came

found nothing but the quiet, imp

brief, imperceptible gesture toward

ccable black suit stepped silently out of t

tly, never breaking eye cont

nd placed a heavy sheet of aged vellum across

ndard county mar

dnight-blue wax was an ancient crest bear

legant calligraphy, were the

legal solidarity, shared residence, and u

I picked up the silver fountain pen from the de

an Wi

out to take the p

eavy signet ring crafted from dark silver and se

cking coldness shot through my skin-a temperature so far be

ound, refusi

ellum in a flawless, fluid sweep,

antly, turning an

handing the vellum back to

d eyes unreadable as he rested hi

ngings and bring you to my estate in the w

the deep shadows of the private corridor, vanishin