Abandoned In The Fire: Reborn A Queen

d the heavy oak door crashed open. Stella Lane was instantly winded, searing heat scorching her throat an

est

be the celebration of their engagement-a night that belonged to them. No flames, no destruction,

ars. His tailored Armani suit, his familiar broad shoulders, every line of his silhouette was etched in

ng gown snagging on charred debris b

ing into a storm of blazing glass and twisted metal directly in her path. A razor-sharp shard sliced deep into her calf, and whi

that incinerated every

hest, trembling deliberately, while Preston's strong arms wrapped around her possessively, shielding her complete

blood tur

istent. Only a hollow, freezing cold spread from her chest to every vein in her bod

n, pouring every ounce of strength from her burning lungs,

ght danced across his face, laying bare his conflict: a flicker of guilt for the wo

tening her arms around his neck like a vice.

ate whimper erased

her bleeding leg, at the wall of fire closing in around her, at the woman who had loved him faithfully for three yea

He left Stella

han ice. The old, buried terror resurfaced-abandoned, forgotten, discarded. Just like always. Her breath came in ragged gasps, her hands shaking uncontrollably, bu

load-bearing beam, fully engulfed in flames, spl

was tired of loving blindly, tired of being

m crash

n arm hard as steel wrapped ruthlessly around her waist, yanking her backward with brutal p

ing through the collapsing hall. The last sound she heard was the wail of app

*

luttered open, stung by the harsh fluorescent hospital lights. She tried to sit up, bu

e sounded in

on his knee. Even dimmed by the low light, his presence was suffocating-an aura of t

urried. He picked up a glass of water from the nightstand and held it to her lips.

stantly, her voice dry

es sweeping over her in a slow, thorough assessment-not conc

s down with a s

w, cold, and resonant, vibrating throu

de-every scene blazed behind her eyes. Rage and grief roiled in her chest, sharp and choking. She tightened he

despite the glisten of moisture in her eyes. "Tha

adable emotion crossing his dark irises. He pulled a plain white business card fro

ally on the pillo

li

nses sharpened instantly. He turned toward the door, paus

forgiving in the dim light. "Next time, don't stake your

at, he