The Husband I Never Loved

ained-glass windows, and gold chandeliers casting a warm, deceitful glow over the

sle, her father's arm a heavy weight around hers. The air smelled of

r face carved into the per

into a trap, she wo

his tailored black tuxedo, the crisp white shirt emphasizing the sharp lines of

his

and measured, dark with som

out flinching, a silent cha

as not

was

eleased her hand, and Killian stepped forward, his fingers curling po

r skin tingled wh

the man before her, on the way he held himself-confident, untouchable, as if this m

take Seraphina Aldridge to b

ched for a se

w smirk cur

d

unded, but she kept

"And do you, Seraphina Aldr

in, voice smoo

s no hes

nt weakness. And she r

's jaw twitched, al

rest

he words. The next thing she knew, Killian was reaching f

ned, as if dari

di

ping his wedding ring onto his finge

ent str

th

kiss th

ll over t

er face up. His touch was deceptively gentle, but hi

na didn

t bre

is lips cl

soft. It wa

posse

atem

arn

d. Instead, she dug her nails into his wrist, a

amusement flicke

ike that,

raphina Ha

A queen in a kingdo

ld play the role of the obedie

was just th

ntention of making sure she was t

ns that dripped with insincerity. Seraphina smiled where expected, laughed at all the

surface, the t

ance. Ev

oken promi

d, Seraphina was exhausted. Not ph

one final battle

rlooked the glittering city, a grand fireplace crackled in the corner, and an en

ng train of her gown trail

r click

eady unbuttoning his cuffs, rolling

oat tig

inch the predato

t bother. I'm not playing the ro

g his head as he poured himself a dri

arrowed. "

e glass down. Then, he stepped closer, invading

n willingly," he murmured. "And you, my darling wi

e kept her expression unreadable. "

we understand eac

, neither of

ched for the top

eath c

ped his

"Relax, sweetheart.

need yo

ould get changed. It's a long night, and I imagine sl

aw cl

her back to him and unfastened

his gaze on her

the silk robe laid out for her, she turned to fi

" she

ing the rest of his whiskey

all, Mrs.

ving her standing there, fists clenched

ng herself to shake off

game. A bat

e woul

ed, as far away fr

of the

of the

tween them was