y library, the air thick with the s
lit fireplace. Damien, looking like a sullen teenager, rem
own, D
nto a sofa as far away from Chloe as
ancient-looking velvet box. Inside, nestled on a bed of faded silk, w
the table before Chloe, "my late wife, Eleanor Stone,
ratitude for Miranda saving Eleanor's life during a climbing accident, the Stone family had pledged a bond. If th
ed, remembering Mrs. Peters
ied on that mountain if not for Miranda's quick thinking and medical skill. This is not mere
is the 21st century. You can't seriously be considerin
This is a matter of duty. You dishonored Miss Beaumont. Now you learn she i
mien had no rebuttal. He cou
s a disgraced orphan, the next she was the
?" It was the only quest
e best doctors in the world are attending to her. The poison was rare, requiring a specific blood ser
olid anchor in the swir
ed to his son. "You will
tanding up. "I will not ha
hairmanship of the Stone Group is also something you'd like to refuse. Your 'illegitimate' status i
ent pale. His status as a so-called bastard son wa
t marry her, I will take over her protection personally. Whi
blow. Power, Damien could li
lstrom of fury, desperation, and a raw posses
ent observer in a war being fought
who had violated
mother's attacker and to fight Richard's family. It was a transaction. A deal
uld speak, she m
l do
ugh the tension, stunnin
gaze locking with Damien'
ve smile spread ac
unpredictable creature who had somehow seized control o
s and his own body's desperate need,
pe
/1/125825/coverbig.jpg?v=fd6d6f98c3dc19d04da59d0566e840f9&imageMogr2/format/webp)