His Marble Heart

of the mirror long

different. The invitation had come in Ethan's handwriting-clean

Sinclair Gallery. Come as y

that ev

n't fancy. It wasn't designer. But it felt like armor. She twisted her hai

fore she could ov

moonlight-glass, silver, reflections upon reflections

y

chin up, rehearsing the same internal speech she'd used

laugh reeked of too much power. But Ethan wasn't listening.

rything

f ease that came from being born in rooms like this. Aria watched him weave through

e said when h

invit

ean I expected

ost di

hy

I don't f

d for a second, the

"You just haven't

man approached-tall, statuesq

brushing a kiss against

ed smoothly. Then: "Mothe

a f

rdial, practiced. "Winte

ia replied. "It

here t

N

aveling the length of Aria's dress. "Well. How refr

han said qui

ly being

t her gaze turned. A

, heart pounding. "S

esn't k

esn't w

to decide who I

"This is what your wo

her. "Par

t belon

erever you dec

irtation in his

iet con

ok somethi

ent bl

ors, journalists. Some looked through her. Oth

wn. Because Ethan

he found her minutes later, standing alone on

ch?" he

... l

oat. "You should'

nt to seem..

ot here a

ow why I'm

y. He just stood beside he

s," he said finally. "You don

a strategy for sur

ut it's a hel

him. "What is

hi

hatever we

oes it have to be

But it will be. O

but not entirely safe either. Like standi

"I'd like to k

claration. It

s a r

de all the

odded.

ach other for thr

te nights, the comfort of petals and ste

Just arrangements she hadn't ma

in the center. Another was a chaotic burst of

earranged them.

nversation that d

ursday evening, he

ter, and eyes that looked like they'd been

e seen a ghost," she

ide of too ma

a mug of tea.

d

usiness. Or his mother.

concert they'd ever been to. He made fun of her for loving nineties p

tartled both of th

e second mug and the silen

le like me weren't al

d at him.

k... maybe we're just afraid

eath c

y anything. D

een said hung in the air between

he stood in the doo

to reach for

n't mov

sn't

as getti

y both

was unfolding-not loudly, not explosively-but

eren't

t

re no longe

utious, but still intact-began to belie

hing

worth wa