ry

t the man sitting at what appeared to be table nine, my p

ulders and a narrow waist, he radiated the terrifyi

ged for me; those golden-amber eyes belonged to none other than the regular fa

ide down on the tablecloth, and it clicked in a split s

desperate clown waiting for a prince who would never show. When I saw that unnatural number nine on her ta

he Meadows family? Since fate had delivered her prize straight to

my blood from his nearness, I pulled out the chair

keep you

eady, I met his predatory st

ng over my frost-white hair and the curve of my wais

know w

hat carried the natural authority

ose the space between us, I le

ck, Mr. Meadows. Sitting acros

back against the leather booth, cr

as supposed to be the Holder family's shallow, v

of pure satisfaction through my chest; all her pree

ays full of bia

able to hide the sharp curve of my mouth,

duce myself. I

urprise crossed his da

rst Mrs. Holder? The one the whole territo

has heard the gossip

laced my fingers on the tableto

m tonight, why don't we skip the fake sm

ce for ten full seconds before le

ind of practical dea

rs on your council, and I need the massive

e, only for him to lean forward suddenly, his over

d choose a disgraced daughte

ive you complete

n my chest, I held my gro

ing to you like those desperate socialites out there

slowly down the column of my throat, heating my skin

e? Separate res

nst the mahogany table in a s

und like a te

have a dea

across the table, keeping

s without taking them right away, hi

in will chew you up and leave

ve, I wouldn't have sat do

is large, calloused hand and c

ity from a year ago shot straight up my arm to my heart, making me

nds are

e back of my knuckles, sending a wave of

outside

e my trembling fingers, terrified that if he held on a second longe

ket, pulled out a jet-black fountain pen and a blank par

u accept the terms I'm about to set, starting toni

l waited like a fool a hundred feet away, I lifted my c