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g New York winter wind away. Adaline Bennett stepped into the hea
a custom-tailored shirt for Baker. Her fiancé. She adjusted her grip
ating glance at her wind-tangled hair. It was the kind
stare and walked straight past the front desk. She headed directl
st the cold plastic of the black keycard Baker had given he
minated in a stark red, indicating a direct, non-stop
aggressive speed. The loss of gravity made her stomach cramp. Acid rose in her
med. The metal d
fore her. The air up here smelled different.
ade no sound. She pulled out her phone, checking th
her down. In the dim, suffocating light of the hallway, she misread the brass numbers and stoo
s already c
narrow gap, the sharp scent of expensive cedarwood drifted
oftly. Her voice was a fragil
r open and stepped
caught the door. It swung shut with a s
wn tight, sealing off the glowing New York skyline. It was a se
nd sliding along the wall,
rtips brushed against something scorch
a massive hand shot out of the dark
A scream died agai
backward. Her spine hit the cold wall. T
thick carpet with a soft thud. Baker's expensiv
ghosted over the sensitive skin of her neck. The sheer, violent unfamiliarity of him hit her like a second imp
ed out, trying to knee him
s long, muscular legs to pin both of her knee
d like an animal pushed to the edge of madness. It was
swallowed by his hand. His movements were r
abric tearing echoed
y tracked down her cheeks, hot and de
hysical pain blurred into a
frame shuddered once before his weight shifted away from her. He collapsed heavily
he floor. She curled into a tight ball on t
n a blind panic. Her fingers brushed
en lit up, blinding her
her. They were from Mount Sinai Hospit
r paralyzing terror like a shard of ice to the hea
ody. She grabbed her torn coat from the floor and
oor. She didn't look back at the bed. She didn't w
e, pulled it down, and stu
hirt remained on the floor, half
ook the elevator down, and burst through
g down a yellow taxi. She prac
he gasped out, her lungs
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