AN'

Du-dum

unded like the moment I

hest in Baghdad, not when I strangled my first traitor, not

ent she stumbled in on me, seeing me fin

e, my he

of blood that wasn't hers, her mouth

e like discarded meat, but yet there she was. Frozen. A wisp of a girl who was lucky or unlucky to be at the wrong place

be

dn't beg. Just trembl

. Not because the man in front of me was begging to spare her life. "Take her, h

accept his plea at that moment when she stumbled on the bloodshed we'd created? At f

I was lying

d no one has done that in

er for mont

a distance. I told myself it was a strategy,

lsh

obsessed with Anya Cole,

I saw her laugh with old ladies, then cry on rooftops when she thought no one was watching. I saw her light a birthday candle alon

that basta

left Anya waiting outside in the snow for two hours while he played pool in some div

. I played t

at I could take her. I'd kept the terms. And now that she's almost 21, I can't ba

ub he didn't know I owned. He staggered ou

, hands raised like I was a cop instead o

u about Anya Cole," w

ustom made, a One-of-a-kind piece

her. Hell, take her now. She'll be twenty - one in

on

What he didn't know is that Anya was n

er tell her

t she wa

ee her. Fast and sharp. Like she's trying to quiet herself and f

he window, silhouetted a

om either fear or fury. Her big, expressive hazel eyes broadcast every feeling she tries to hide. A dusting of freckles ove

he snaps, whirling on

re legs, then back up t

In my bed." I step closer. She doe

amps her mouth shut. I bet she's wondering if she stil

ever had you. He

ss, golden hair spiraling like

s is insane." she sa

u're still

you kidna

you bel

. You're d

g that like it'

y face. It lands with a

ve any heiress, any model-hell, any

them. I want you. B

Her throat bobs

ed," I say. "But I

tionally. And mentally.

e. Spit fire every day-I'll love ever

sly out of you

ssi

process this. I have to be at work, m

ice. Plus, you're mine now, so you never have to worry about thi

eyes narrow, body tensing

e an eagle. "What's that?"She eye

rin

e prop

informi

celess. "You're

ing married

e box slowly

ks like it coul

uld. I

if I s

t's the alternative. You're

e goes quie

he's up to something. She's scheming. But

.. I need to process a

ke

hear anything for a moment, and when I tur

da!"

's