Bound by Deception

the weight of her new reality pressing down on her. She was married

surroundings. The bedroom, luxurious as it was, felt foreign.

or snapped her ou

n," she

te but distant. "Mr. Blackwood asked me to inform you that

was a man of discipline and order-l

or the silk robe draped over the cha

and left witho

her shoulders. Time to s

tretched between them, adorned with silverware and an array of breakfast d

g black coffee, his posture relaxed but

time," he

im, offering a practiced smile. "You exp

sn't amusement-it was assessment. "

y slicing into the fruit on

s cup down. "Then I would've remind

ed, but her smile remained.

ing by the way his eyes da

s utensils down and leaned back in his chair. "The

feigning curiosity

me, but that doesn't m

d smoothly. "I wouldn't

ial events with me when required. You will maintain appearances. But beyond th

orange juice, her mind already cataloging his words.

rules so clearly," she said, tilting h

y her audacity. "You get to live in luxur

laugh. "So I'm a wel

remained unreadable.

tween them, heavy wi

ase. "I have business to attend to. A car will be available i

brow. "Am I a pr

as no warmth in it. "On

of the room, leaving her al

was gone before slipping upstairs. If she was

r anything of value-an unlocked office, a misplaced document, a

d a set of heavy oa

ed. Was she reall

e

breath, she tu

ock

mistake,

fined as the rest of the house-dark leather furniture, floor-to-ceili

ents. Most were business contracts, real e

he spo

apart from the oth

rst, it seemed like ordinary financial records-u

ther's

breath

wood have records of my

dated years ago, others more recent. The amounts of money were st

ad been sent here? Was Nicholas th

tside made

tst

the folder back into place b

hol

n unreadable as he took in the s

to keep her pulse steady. "I

icked to the desk.

le

tep forward, closing

reaching past her to pick one off the shelf,

o shake. "Because you have a

t his eyes held some

k, and she had no c

o leave, his vo

of my offi

lder, offering a sweet sm

heart pounding, one th

ust dangerous. He was invol

he was bou

arri

l

dec