BENEATH EMPIRE

missive glance that skimmed past her like she was invisible-or worse, ir

ow. A place where billionaires could toss money at glossy causes they'd forget by morning. Her nonprofit, Hart to Hear

but her tight grip on the sparkling water showed she was trying hard to keep it together in a place that felt shallow. All the party noise aroun

illness i

eak to dominate the room-he was the room. His gaze swept over the crowd l

breath

st for a second-but i

e piece that didn't fit in this picture, and

rm, trying too hard to pull

rted walkin

d with a sharp voice s

ria

hority that made people step aside. Polished men

is needed with

t to answer, but Adrian jumped in. "Someone who doesn't need your approval." A tense silence filled the air. Elliot kept a fake smile on hi

ish. "That was polite. You sh

d. "Do you always

cut back to her. "You

curious. His voice had a deep tone that caught attention. 'I'm Adrian

a Ha

e left her lips, e

rely, but enough. A flick

st name?" he aske

owned.

pa

is mouth, t

racticed. Too easy. "Nice

felt it like a drop in temperat

ian squinted, clearly thinking it over. "No. Just... the name soun

laugh. "It's

ribs were closing in. He can't

t was a minefield. And Adrian Blackwell was the last per

iet. Like he was filing the moment away, placing it d

ing with anyone... Yes, I understand what you're saying right. It sounds more better if you're t

ing lik

ated. The

ian Blackwell

the ballroom. "There's a balc

t thudding in a confusing

was refreshing,she felt a big change from her nerves . Next to her, Adrian stood against the city ligh

why ar

ther. Optics. Duty. You know

d. "And are you as t

times I feel like I was born i

now a thing or two about cages. Though

the air between th

e diff

. "Is that yo

at her like she was the first

a whisper. "Sometimes I wonder if I shou

is eyes, and the quiet made her heart race. "Becau

was slow.

wou

n anything-because she didn't k

-

couldn'

indow, glittering and restless. It was pa

la

n his mind like a

not the way she'd said her name-Hart-like it meant nothing. Like it

it

almost taken them down. B

his daughte

eve in coincidence

r presence was innocent. As he thought more about her,

ther pretty face. Sh

didn't know

hone

ed nu

mess

close to. The sins of the

blood r

e. No

he k

beginning. Thi

s already