Twisted Hearts... Tangled hearts

er her waist. His breathing was even, steady, as if he had no worries in the world. As if he

owever, ref

y on Fifth

r with more questions than answers, but there was one thing she couldn't ignore the raw pain in

Ju

f that his attentiveness was love, that his careful, measured words were meant

ielding her f

trapping h

ghtly before settling again. Holding her breath, she waited a beat longer, making sure his breathing

rt pounding in her chest. She didn't have much time.

d the door felt

s it clicked open. The hallway stretched before her, dark and eerily silent. The penthouse

lian would have programmed it with rest

stai

stairwell door, pressing against it with both hands to keep it from creaking as it opened.

light

loors. The moment she was outside, she could breathe again. The night

n't remember ever doing so but instinct guided her.

-

ifth Avenue was noth

y's glittering lights. But the moment she stepped inside, the world seemed to shift

o murmured conversations

sil

the fabric of her coat as s

" she w

ed near one of

n he wa

r, his gaze locking onto hers with an in

e," he m

aid it half surprise, half r

know why I'm here," she admitt

his dark hair. "I don't blame you. B

clenched.

w tightening. "Julian i

nk I don't know that already?" she shot back. "B

s his face. "I was y

d into her like

k, shaking her head.

motion. "We were together for years. We were going to run away, leave eve

s heart

e saw Ethan. That strange, ine

ulian," she whispered, barely

"Because he made sure that's

he walls pressing in on her. "No,"

wasn

he truth from the moment she woke up? Controlli

"Think, Emilia. Have you had any real memories

ind r

was no

promises or shared laughter. Only carefully cura

was

d stolen

lmost stolen

ched into fists. "W

u, Emilia. He owns you. And he wasn't going to l

through h

ied to lea

he acciden

e rising in her throat. "

dmitted. "But I know him. And

h twisted

next to a man who had orchestrated her su

voice. "You need to get away from

h shattered

und, her heart lea

the gallery had

oorway, his expressio

Ju