Shattered Stars; Forced to marry the Mafia boss

slept and nei

t murmurs and snoring, the faint hum of electricity in the walls. But none of it registered. Not th

her awak

c Blac

d something buried deep, an awareness, a challenge. He hadn't clapped, neither did

lone won't

again like an incantation. O

not been impressed.

her was foolish e

ed to the Crescent Studio. Uni

ds in the shelter bathroom mirror. There was nothing glamorous about her but there

yesterday looked up an

aga

ith the man who wa

plied with a smirk. "Come back wh

uit with dark eyes. He didn't smile fo

face froze.

reached for the p

t speak a word. She only stood and stared at th

n a dark bla

low

he higher they went. When the doors opened onto the t

ack marble underfoot. Silence t

of the hall, and when the door

e he

h in his den. He didn't look up right awa

aid at last, with hi

sure I'd b

uldn't h

, he lo

in. Sharp enou

't belon

an opportuni

't offe

aid I had

tential. Most di

. "You watched me. You spoke

now, walking toward her with precise, measured

vanish. She had never felt sm

y does to girls like you?" he

she a

already smart

ctor assessing a new actress for a

teresting?" he said. "That bei

gaze. "I think survivi

a flicker passed

s the kind of smile wolve

to bleed on stage and have people call it brilliance? Then you

an l

u can submit. That

inked. "

Miss Marlowe ( The name she preferred to be called instead of Hart which was given to

est ti

g the world won't ignore. But you'll owe me e

f I re

simply. "Back to sleeping in shelters

between th

oosing the less

of them

ed. "I'l

ot how th

lowed. "

urned hotter. "S

r jaw. "I submi

again. Cold

g to me no

tell if she had just made the worst deci