BOUND TO THE WRONG CALLAHAN

pte

he happiest night of her life,

ight. Three carats. Flawless. Just like eve

staring back should be happy. Designer dress. Professional

ah Callahan. The man both

feel like she w

ifted through the door. "

t her feet w

ainst the cold marble counter and took a deep breath. The faint scent of Noah's cologne lingered in the air,

The Callahan name carried more weight than she liked to admit, and more shadows than the society pages ever printed. He opened

de

he word made he

eet. The smell of ocean air and bonfire smoke. A v

head. Not no

r wrists, careful not to dist

king the city. His broad shoulders filled out his

he hardwood, and his face brightened with that

is lips were warm but they registered as

he words came

engagements, bustled around setting up. She posed them by the window,

way. "Just like your parents' engagem

thing in their world fol

your head. Show off

like she'd been trained to do since they were announc

What would it feel like to laugh in a picture? Not smi

hed it down deep where all her

aptured exactly what they were. Two people fr

wine. "We should get ready. The en

til the night that woul

d stil

ed from nowhere. L

home and cha

." He kissed her forehead. "Yo

t, stepping into t

the tinted windows, watching the city blur past. People living the

ng, we need to go over the seating char

Nodded at the right moments. Said

mirror in a green silk dress. The woman staring bac

oah. "Can't wait to see you ton

as everything to

g a man I b

But there was no time to think

just as night fell. The house blazed with light. Cars

tomach twisted. Something felt wrong tonight, though she could

tepped beside her, diamonds catching the lig

n white roses. A string quartet played near the entra

er mother whispered. "

tching. That was the p

am silk and pearls, her silver hair styled

th cheeks, her perfume heavy and expensiv

om. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling. White and g

ar," Eleanor said. "He

ather. Society wives. Politicians. They all congratulated her as

k tuxedo. He took her hand and lifted it to his lips. The move

. Someone took a picture. Sh

s amazing,"

ing for you," Noah said, his arm sliding aroun

ade her happy. Instead, they wrap

ry, she remembered what it meant to be wanted for

her so hard she

d that c

some people," Noah said. "Bu

y few steps to shake hands and talk busines

. Dinner was served. Seven cou

eat families. Noah's father talked about legacy and tradit

t on, something inside

" instead of her name. Maybe it was the way everyone

one else's life from the outside. That the real her was buri

. Laughter filled the air. Business

rough it all

said when they had a moment

it all in. It

und with satisfaction. "Mother w

it all seem

their table, her face glowing with

n his chair. Sienna

s it, M

d this afternoon. H

e went pale, then red, then pale again.

coming here

ound that felt familiar and wrong and dangerous all at once. For a moment, she swore she

ead. Where did

been getting ready upstairs." Her face glowed with

erful. He looked like he'd seen a ghost. And

ns grew quieter. People kept glancing toward the ent

er know?"

e. Said it was time to put the past behind us." She

was Landon? And why did his name make her

him," Noah said,

shone with tears.

room doors, and every head

oors

in, and every

ith dark hair that was too long f

his arms beneath his tuxedo sleeves, dark lines that snaked

en he turned his head. His tuxedo fi

him. Something that made every eye

e, but not the practiced confidence of ol

to walk among sheep but nev

e there was something about the way he moved that felt like

t really him?" "He looks so different." "

heir table. Noah stood slowly, his fac

ndo

oa

was awkward. Forced. Like str

re you'd com

Low. Rough around the edges. A voice that whisper

o

no

dn't be h

cated and painful that hung in the air like smok

as it been?

rs. Give

that wasn't what made her blood turn to ice. It was t

hroat. "I'm glad you're here. The

matically, rising from her chair with the grace drilled i

e knew who

ore their eyes met. And she kn

ike you to mee

er turned

f sin. The color that haunted her dreams and made

was

s. Who had made her feel alive for the first time in her life. Who had disappeared before dawn and lef

't a st

Noah's

sounding like it was coming from underwa

e shock hit him like lightning. His face went blank, carefully controlled, but his

of the

of the

heavy and dangerous and full of se

ice sounded far awa

k past the rushing sound in her ears and the way he

his hand. "It's

ite. Like they had never

night neve

d traced patterns on her skin. At the palm that had curved

my name, I'

ned now. His hand tightened on he

something other than stand there while he

he co

he knew. The secret she had bu