The Billionaire's Contract Heiress

soft and broken. "You said you'd ne

stian's entire

voice was hoa

ugly, painful sound. "You parade your little wife i

ard. Aria could hear them shouting questions: "Who is

hristian said under

he?" Aria

in th

isti

IN TH

appeared and guided her into the SUV. She watched through the tinted wind

ian's face was a mask of something

a

look back. Vanessa stood alone in the

didn't speak. He just stared out t

e?" Aria as

bod

's a

t your c

a liar on my wedding day." Aria turned to face h

or a long momen

x-girlf

dark and hollow. "I was going to marry her two years ag

ped open. "She tr

ce was flat. "She was supposed to gain my trust, marry me, then arrange a

's out o

d. "Her trial starts next year. Until then, she's free

his was insane. This e

u tell me?" sh

up at our wedding." He laughed bitt

ildings and people who had no idea that a billionaire and hi

an spoke. "We ne

tice

e k

whipped ar

building was sloppy. Too desperate. Too emotional. We need

," she said before s

d slowly. His eyes loc

up her neck. "I didn'

ut

use

sed a button. The partition betwe

Because if you keep talking, I'm going to kiss you agai

early stopped.

t tes

ating a fact. You don't want

k. His thumb traced her jaw. "And I've been wondering

isti

me to

in was screaming: this man is dangerous, t

h wouldn't f

o stop," h

..

ps fou

ing. That one had been aggressive, public, a performan

und her waist and pulled her against him. She felt eve

kissed

ulders and held on. She felt him groan agains

screamed. This is a huge, t

dn't care. Her

th breathing hard. Christian's fa

aid, "was no

. They were swollen.

was it

he saw it-the man behind the mask. The m

k slammed ba

he said. "One that

partition. The d

us h

-

be Aria felt different. She walked to he

are you

my r

toward the master bedroom.

use

nd soft light and a bed so big it could fit her entire apartment. "We've been married

doesn't nee

t on a chair. "If they think our marriage is fake, they'll sell the story to

a bed. Just

eed. "And every night unti

open. "That's-that's

buttoned his shirt. "We didn't agree on s

e impos

. "There's a nightgown in the closet. It's you

was-a black silk nightgown, more exp

s later, Christian was already in bed. He was

ot to stare

looking," he sa

ot loo

lying." He opened hi

from him as possible. The silk shee

," she sai

ight,

es. Five minutes

ri

ha

nk y

. Christian was sta

r w

ed to look at her. "I'm not a good man. I've done terrible things. But

" she wh

his hand moved across

. "Tomorrow, we

-

empty bed and th

room was bright. Too brigh

rning. She'd sle

m. Christian was standing by the window, a cup of c

me sleep,

" He turned. "H

gry. A little

m last night." He walked toward he

fect-just the way she liked it.

lan for today

ng. Then dinner

n her coffee.

uncle." His face was har

mily wasn't happy

. "You need to understand something, Aria. My family is poison. They'll smile to your fa

urvived

y know about your background. They know you were a waitress. T

her chin. "L

a smile. A real one. It made

said. "The girl wit

e than a

ce dropped. "That

, her phone buzzed. A te

Mrs. Knight. But you shouldn't sleep so deepl

blood r

isti

ha

ne. He read the messag

. "He was here. I

her arm and pull

on't leave my side. Not for

ke care o

e preg

s hung i

m w

her. He looked as

In your bag. I

nd to her stomach. "That can'

The masquerade ball

. Him. She'd met him that night and she'd never

ristian said. "Please. Tell m

was crying now. "I

. Someone was entering the penthouse. And only one person had a key he'd never revoked. His mother. Christian pushed Aria behind him. "Stay here. Don't say a word." The doo