ty Rom

through the surrounding crowd of Bost

f raw meat. She looked down at her ill-fitting gown

I really look

idn't lo

e way the fabric hugged my waist before falling away down my spi

ignoring the weeping girl at his elbow.

his dark gaze without flinching. "People change, Mr. Pec

is jaw muscles tightened so hard they lo

cutting off Garold's view of my neckline. "Pack up your pet an

de. "This is between me and my wife. An o

you were parading your little project down the

eve. Her eyes were red, staring at my midnight-blue go

"Sister Roman's dress is so beautiful. I'm just a nobody. Even if I wear expensive cl

deprecating whine w

n at Karlie's tear-stained face, his protective

aze back to me. "Take the dress

My fingers gripped the stem of the crystal flute

d you ju

r argument. "You have a closet full of gowns at the estate. Give th

c. "No, Garold, please don't! It's clearly a custom piece. Don't

r fake refusal, his eyes locked onto mine. "Since Fern is your personal designer, just have her make you

ing to comprehend the sheer, una

ally believed he could buy my best friend and tu

string quartet, "do you have some kind of clinical fetish for

. "She's not a mistress! Why do you have to be so rele

m his. "This gown was hand-beaded by Fern exclusively for my body. It is one

ck. "You're being completely unreasonable, Felicit

m his tuxedo jacket, dia

tal of Fern Cervantes Studio right now. Tell Fern that unless she transfers all design copyrights from

h buys everything, Peck? Fern is Feli's sis

ing his mouth. "Let's see how much your precious loyal

oldness seepe

years. He wasn't bluffing. He would absolutely crush Fern's life's

l that she would let her entire studio burn to the ground

t friend's dream die

I said, my voice dropping to

he had won. He thought he had finally forced me to bend the knee. "So you've final

red the full glass of pale gold champagne directly

utterly dead. "You bought the copyright. But y