THE COST OF LOVE AND PASSION

e's

ickering across the walls. I blinked against the morning light filtering through the curtains

gling over the side, her messy curls covering half her face. The blank

early morning coffee advertisem

the remote. Just as I was about to turn i

is mystery fiancée

el 7. A mornin

igh

ouple to shed the spotlight on toda

d anchors sat in a brightly lit studio, the banner beneath them f

, with auburn curls and a resting face, gestured at the screen

sinessman, but with Katherine Grey by his side, people are starti

ed. "You think this is genuine? I mean, the man has had his fair

lk, but hearing my name and my relationship wit

something about Katherine that makes Jared appear less like the villain the media has painted him to be. Could it be love? And let's

roof, what nonsense are you sa

sitting posture, her expression com

t deal with a rising tech logistics company, Icecon. On paper, it was a game-changer-a partnership that would streamline free tech distributio

urns out, Icecon wasn't just transporting tech equip

ation came crashing down. Jared Cole was arrested, though he swore he

nimpressed. "And y

ail will do that,"

gent, and his reputation took a nosedive. Now, with Kate Grey by his side, people ar

man using a pretty face

d the TV off. The silence

ng myself be debated on national tv w

early, and I wasn'

door, unlocking it but keeping the chain in pla

ider, looked sideways and I s

t red envelope

Valenti

at my lips. Jared. I

oth paper. The envelope was unmarked, but as I slid the card

rom Jared.

kidding. Anyways, I'll be sending my next gift to your clueless fake fiancé. Y

ev

drained fr

f he'd taken his time writing it, knowing I'd r

trembled as I clutched the card tighter. Wha

her

lin

e again, firm

opening it. N

breath coming in q

rom the couch. Before I could stop her, she was already

ia, d

ted the knob and p

suddenly more awake, she grinned. "I could

ckle, shaking his head.

It depends, are t

I got you this." He handed her a

hanked him with excitement, hu

shed over me so fast, my knees nearly buckled. I

e, his eyes immedia

Valentine's card crump

kered over my fac

the fireplace behind me. The paper curle

"Just- wasn't expec

t longer, then let it g

st beautiful roses I've ever se

so nice a smile bloomed across each end of his perfectly s

necklace sparkled in the light, its surface embedded wit

the genuineness of his gesture and for the fac

lik

onto my palm. "It's so

y hair to one side. A slow shiver rippled through me at the sensation-his t

ce low, smooth, sending another wa

e cool edges of the necklace brushed my co

p with a precision that felt almost agonizingly slow. I kne

ured, his breath f

lse a wild drum

houlders, slow, teasing. My skin tingled under his touch, and I fought the

dering with something unreadable yet unmistakable, he

him to tear his attention from the

out a smirk, and let his thumb graze m

d a shudder. I was

se in his eyes-something questioning,

open flame or he saw the momentary panic in my

letting her ramble about her latest art project. But wh

watching as he stepped t

g in, he glan

t l

was hiding

ave me a small, almost forced

rroring his

ar disappeared down the street,

And if I wasn't careful, Jared wa