Mcca
through and crossed the rain-soaked garden, keeping
g quartet. The air was warm and smelled of white roses and expensive perfume. Guests in tuxedos and glitte
. The wedding cake stood beneath a glittering arch, and our init
had ended our engagement. As far as every
y chest, but the cold, hard s
to the polished floor. I watched them. The Sharpes, looking smug
r child
rectly behind me. "Where have y
un a
aked clothes and mud-streaked skin. He was a decent man, a diplomat who had always treated me with
rs. "Come in, out of the cold. Hassan told us you were recovering at the family lodge and didn't want visi
ent two weeks hiding at The Den, Hassan had let hi
of something complicated. He was the only one. The on
to Hassan," I manag
course. He's upstairs in the groom's lounge with his c
. I had intended to confront Hassan during the ceremony, in front of
guests gave me curious, disapproving l
losed door at the far end. "He's in there. Go on. Whateve
d bride arriving late for her own wedding. With a worrie
in the sil
My hand reached for the knob, but I stopped. I pr
of Hassan and hi
I hea
s suppressed groan. The rustle
in that room. Hassan
t sound. I knew exactly what w
the doorknob. My first instinct was to thr
public scene would make me look like a hysterica
ane Sharpe's voice. "Hassan, stop it," she purred. "The ceremony
, I'll tell them I ended the engagement two weeks ago after Arden betraye
"The flowers, the cake, the
end with Arden becoming my wife. By the time we leave, everyone will
ing intact so he could control how the breakup became public. My absence would make his accusation
y humiliation-even when they belie
pped from t
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