through the towering wrought-iron g

the grand marble foyer, and sat alone in the living room as the sun sl

ten, the heavy mahogany fro

walk

e table, roughly loosening his navy silk tie. Hearing h

o warmth, only the lingering irritation of a

offee table. "I just flew across the country in a freezing storm, and I come

three paces a

his crisp white collar. Right along the seam was a faint smudge of peachy-pink lip g

ch. But years of courtroom training kicked

her voice calm and level. "Finalizing

ention of the bridal salon, a flicker of guilt quickly masked by habi

h the practiced dominance of a CEO used

. "You spend way too much time on trivial things, Alex. I'm out there grinding t

er eyes up to the tiny dark mole below his rig

epeated softly. The words t

yes, mistaking her s

that French lace cost me? Without me, you wouldn't even have access to those Parisi

her completely, and headed up the

rder me some food," he

ed into the master suite, the heavy bathroom door had clicked sh

ng to the shower. The man she had loved--the man she had spent her twenties helpi

lked into the massive, cu

raight to the lower velvet drawer of the jewelry is

ears of anniversar

picked up a delicate

, back when he was still pitching ideas out of a rented garage and she was working t

ied when he put it around her

lled out a thick, heavy-duty black trash

ant back into its bo

h

ottom of the

iamond stud earrings

hire brooch from

is bracelet from

ith a dull, hollow weight. She didn't hesitate once. With every

them standing in front of the Golden Gate Bridge years ago, smilin

n into the trash bag, burying it beneath

water abrup

t door sw

over his shoulders, droplets of water clinging to his chest. He stopped in his tra

air. "Whatever. Go down to my study and print out the revised patent filings.

night legal legwork. She had been his lawyer, his ass

of the black trash bag

d turned to face him, her a

ve a preliminary injunction hearing in federal co

is hand stoppi

face, as if she had suddenly sta

t to crowd her against the velvet jewelry island

e?" Basil asked, his voice

k back. She met his furious glare he

Basil," Al

ped calmly past his shoulder, and wa

cked in his cheek. He opened his mouth to shout after h

a word, a sharp, insistent

pocket of his discarded suit jac

the screen flashed wit