open the fold
irmly. Lucien Blackwood had already turned back to the window, his attention apparently returned to the city below
said finally. "The leas
around. "Explanatio
ts invite
witched-not quite a smi
her more than h
e folder closer a
ite. Precise. No dramatic he
t f
ge Agr
caught desp
guage flowed in neat, merciless paragraphs. Terms. Obligations. Durat
sane," she
aning against the desk, a
ot the sa
lawyers,
wed and ke
ng that startled her more than she cared to admit. Instead, the document focused
est ti
to own me,
ect what I'm re
one of you
me my responsibility the moment yo
er shut. "We didn't cros
e fell
k it immediately. When he did
about punishment,"
at is it
tain
led between t
d brittle. "You talk abou
calmly. "Just not i
n't get to decide my life b
"You don't get to p
athe. The city stretched endlessly outs
ounts were flagged," Arie
N
u can f
es
y of his answ
I don'
hesitate. "The
pped. "You let
interf
the same
rrected. "I
d into fists. "Yo
the only path that
y and fear tangling in
Lucien said. "
clause tightened the invisible net around her. She was expected to live in
said bitterly. "
ive," he
. "And when I st
eld hers. "Then
sn't re
ng?" sh
e replied. "W
she echoe
es
and pressed her palms agains
esit
or a s
it took for h
father," sh
shuttered. "I
ould happen when your co
equences wer
ok. "And you
about o
head. "You des
more than I
broken. "You say t
e if I hadn't intervened when I did, your family wouldn't be
ed. "What doe
ention on you was
lt suddenl
meone else did th
you were c
slightly. She gripp
ing you fi
e said. "Publicly. Legally. Permanen
at scar
eters
briefly, fighting
n who ruined me," she said, "or
es
ty hurt m
ounded at
aightened.
mposed, carrying a tablet. "Mr. Bl
d. "Give us
at Ariella, unre
at Lucien. "They'r
n't wast
always goin
es
You never intended t
N
uddenly exhausted. The weight of the moment
said quietly. "
ucien replied.
part of
es
e pen resting be
nd tre
after I sign
sely. "You move into B
ni
apped up. "
d security
dn't sa
n't ne
d around the pen. "Y
nt for v
t a var
gaze steadily
vered over
's anger, the endless calls she couldn't answer. The fear that
mean I forgive
just enough to be dangerous.
t mean I t
require
n't mean I b
hers. "Legal
touched
hakily, each letter feelin
she dropped the pen
ontract, scanning it q
s do
er legs unsteady
r n
e door, anger and gr
iel
stop
uieter now. "You sho
ooked
d your family," he said. "Bu
tomac
or who?"
s gaze
p until they take something f
caught. "An
dn't
door and gestured towar
od," he said softly
her ears as she step
since the call at 9:47
contract was
ing of something
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