The One My Heart Craves

der Ka

y blood turning to ice. But not because of t

oli

ht. She'd seen me hold Sophia, seen the way I'd lo

ice was small, worr

calm even as rage burned throug

s convinced myself they weren't real. Three years since Sophia's twentieth birthday party, when she'd walked

laugh at something Marcus said, I'd realized the truth that terrified me: I was

friend's sister. A woman I could never have

ine Harrison, buried myself in work, and pretended Sophia

atening the one perso

ock, Alexander. Noon at the C

hile," I told Sophia, my

ith fear. "You're

op myself from cupping her face gently. "Stay here. Don't

it's dangerou

o you," I said fiercel

nted to tell her everything. That she was the reason I couldn't sleep at night. That every woman I'd ev

ped back. "I'll

immediately, sitting in a corner booth like a spider in her web. Stil

pt the one thin

approached, the perfect senat

t, Caroline?" I

We need to disc

engagement is a business a

could be so much more. Especially no

is Marcus's siste

ve twelve photos from last night. The way you held her,

y jacket around Sophia, my hand on her cheek, my expression comp

n love

the tabloids would love this story. 'Tech Billionaire Alexander Kane

d into fists. "W

nt. I'm moving into your penthouse this week. We appear in public as a loving

N

ace on every gossip site in America. 'Martinez Beauty Heiress in Love Triangle After Che

ears. "You touch her,

ons you can't imagine." Her smile was cold. "But I can destroy her. One phone ca

rry, seeing her clearly for the first time.

do you want a marriage with

or just wounded pride. "Because I'm tired of being se

n't abou

rneath. "Do you think I'm stupid? Do you think I don't see the way you've av

nning our wedding while you've been pining after some little girl who was

olin

public engagement, a wedding, a life together. I've held up m

f I re

ost hunted woman in New York. Photographers outside her building, reporters calling her friends

er die than let Sophia get hurt

proposing?" I asked

ala together next week as an engaged couple. We set a wedding date." Her e

Sop

sfaction written all over her face. "Oh, and Alexander? No more midnight rescue mis

dropping to a whisper. "Becau

losing in around me. I'd spent three years trying to protect Sophia from my fe

ast she'd

number: "By the way, darling. I have cameras

veins. Caroline wasn't just blackmailin

nding. I had to get back to her.

nd: Caroline Harrison wasn't just dangerous, she was

I just