eep at all

and stared at the wall. Julian didn't come to bed. He stayed in my father

d glass was gone, the bullet holes were patched, and the blood was

t the counter, drinking a cup of black coffee, wearing a crisp, tailored

uietly, his eyes scanning

the kitchen island. "Are you going

s murdered. For five years, I've been running the most powerful criminal network in the country. But I was tired of the blood, Ch

ed, my voice ba

f me. He reached out and gently tucked a piece of hai

woman in the rain and refused to take her money," he said sof

d, the front door of

suits. His face was bruised, and he looked ex

owing his head slightl

. The softness vanished, replaced b

et. "They heard about what happened last night at the Sterling house. The

reen. His jaw tightened

"He's put a bounty on your head

old. "A bounty

us. He didn't look scared. He looked

n," Marcus said. "He's having a p

rifying smile. "Then we are

Wear the black dress in the back of your closet

"I-I'm comi

"If Dimitri wants to threaten the Blackwood Queen, he needs to see exact

f black SUV. I was wearing the tight black dress and diamond earr

usive club in the city. A line of people stretched aro

d out first, offering me his hand. I

d against my ear. "No matter what

. But as soon as Julian stepped into the main room, the music

ful women and armed guards, sat a massive, bald

ka in his hand. He smiled, but h

wide. "The legend returns! I heard you got married an

id calmly. "I heard you put

his face. "Ah. The Queen. She's even more beautiful than the rumors say." He looked back at Julian

snapped his fingers. Four huge gua

a deal, Blackwood. Let me have your wife for the night. A pe

rt to tremble. But

lian sai

"No? You think you have a choic

an moved

glass table behind him. The table shattered, glass flying everywhere. The guards raised t

le room

nty on my head. You can try to kill me in my sleep. But if you ever look at my wife agai

ad, his eyes wide with pure terror.

suit. He looked at the shocked crowd, then turned to me.

n," he said. "

ssian mobsters, and at the shattered glass

k his

ht Julian was a nobody. But looking at the blood on his knuckles an

was married to a monster. And I