He Begs Now, But I've Become The Prize He Couldn't Afford To Lose

Corinne Nash was staring at a trending post on

k up his former tutor-after years of keeping every woman at arm's

oked uncharacteristically gentle. Nestled close against his side, Jessica

Ryland's high school tutor,

reckless troublemaker, the kind of son who

ca had turned that unruly boy inside out, mold

ther. Whispers claimed the two had secretly married long ago,

ally cornered Ryland into signing a marriage contract

ement, he had already hurried to bring Jessica

nts into her palm, the sting barely registering before she abruptly slipped o

of red wine. A faint haze of alcohol dimmed Ryland's pale eyes. As he crossed the room with long, unstea

" A husky murmur brushed along her neck, his breath

st, his fingers sliding beneath the thin fabric of

him-yet beneath it, another fragrance cl

hoved him back without hesitation. "I ju

er backward against the vanity, the hard edge pressing in

e a bath together once w

distant and untouchable in public revealed a f

e his, those words carried a dang

t easily believe he was hopelessly in love wi

rice to pull the Nash family out of ruin. In his eyes, she had never been anything more than

ingers had already slipped beneath the thin strap of

ing into something unreadable as he leaned

ipped past Corinne's lips bef

ood every one of her sensitive spots, p

their bodies had always fallen into the s

en none of it had eve

wandering hand had already slid deeper,

eath catching as her voice came out tight an

to an end, it was better for the

ll pulsing through him, he reined himsel

they fixed on her flushed cheeks, his breath

enth-it's just been

chless-she couldn't find

d of pushing further, he lifted her into his

cycle... are your periods irregular? Have you been under too much stre

ping her gaze lowered, she didn't dare look at h

ree years, that steady gentleness had worn down her defenses little by little, until she

he truth, cold and merciless, reminding her exactly

iness any longer. If she didn't end it now, the

eed to end th

suddenly rang. With just a single glance, sh