yna's eyes open. Blinding fluorescent lights stabbed at her retina
g pain ripped through her ribs, stealing the breath from her
e private hospital room swu
was immaculate, his silver hair perfectly combed. There
opened her mouth to say his n
the bed, towering over her. He did not ask about her injuries. He deman
s a raw, broken rasp. She told him Jordon w
the only thing that mattered was the pending corporate merger between their families-the very deal funding her fledgling g
iately, go to Jordon's apartment, and beg for his
e. She stared at the man who was supposed to be her
he would rather die than marry a c
er at her face. He threatened to trigger the morality clause in her late moth
low to her chest. Her eyes burned with unshed tears, but
freeze it. She told him she would beg on the stree
ould regret this, turned on his hee
into a suffo
in. She covered her face with her bruised hands and began to
icked. The door pu
vas work jacket and grease stained jeans. He h
His jaw clenched so hard a muscle ticked in his cheek. A dark
om, his heavy boots m
reached into his pocket, pulled out a cle
he looked at the napkin, then up at his face. She recogniz
hing his. She wiped her face and chok
at down. He kept his voice low and steady. He intro
d, the palms thick with heavy calluses. He looked entirely out of
. The trust fund would be locked under fam
sane idea spark
urning. She looked Cruz straight in
lders stiffening slightly. H
ng the fabric until her knuckles turned white.
e year contract marriage. She needed a legal husband t
onth and cover all his living expenses. She held
he predatory gleam that flared in his dark pupils. He tapped his thick fi
his head. His gaze locked onto h
," he
onated with a quiet
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