Married for a moment, Loved for a lifetime.

tall windows, brushing gold across t

lank, lost in the af

mes echoed louder than her heartbeat. Damon hadn't said a word after dragging her to bed.

heets, staring at the empt

came at

ite. Out

eeper. "Mr. Callahan asked me to

lowly. "What

you'd und

cream dress, subtle but luxurious, paired with nude sti

e to anything,

k smile. "He also s

en by a silent chauffeur in a dark suit. The streets of Manhattan blurred

lass-walled building near the Upp

the marble wall

ate suit. "Mrs. Callahan. Welcom

cedu

d scheduled a biometric scan. And a contract transf

I never sign

t y

oor, but it was already closin

w-trapped in velvet chains wrapped a

just protecti

inding h

rs hovered o

bbed for her signature. It bore the Callahan crest embossed in silver, a

gn over my identit

er, one hand tucked in his pocket, the other swirling dark liquor in

ply. "So you br

ou bear my name. And in my world, that name makes

er palm. "You think

it's su

d between them lik

the way her heels clicked like

aver. "Then I'll

Lock me awa

ng behind the calm. "If it me

ed. "You'r

from nothing. And every time I let someone too close, the

at him, bre

ers "-isn't ownership. It's a

out what I c

pa

you already know there's nowhere you'd be safe. No

how true

he said it with such finality. A

ingers, she reac

gn on the page. Marri

si

Damon stepped forward and

: a ne

gant. Und

est, almost invisible trac

cked. "So I'm

tened it around her neck wi

hispered. "Yo

inst her skin long afte

the weight of knowing she'd just signed a contract that made her

mon didn't offer an explanat

r blurred like a dream

, she noticed something new-two black SUVs parked beside Damon's usual spot

t cautiously.

Damon replied coolly. "You'll b

ne threat

fore answeri

yet curled around h

nthouse. The usual silence in the suite was

o the bedroom before

ri

rned s

e he

tood by the fireplace, a folder in hand. On the table beside him,

a trap dres

?" she as

folder and handed

art st

hat looked like a traffic cam. Aria. W

side h

ghi

os

cl

omach

id you g

es where i

ury rising in her chest

ied, voice ice-cold. "You were a

hell does

person around you becomes a liability. Es

is a f

have threats and assets

ither. He's mine. Just like m

fully, Aria. Because what's yours now wa

ed into fists. "

nd across her cheek with unnervi

ped his

ng flickered in his e

rr

e

ses

ed, tangled, t

to the bedroom, slamm

ound her neck f

a l

om floor, trying to

was a war-one fought not with fists or bullets,

cently, yet screamed of everything she had just surrendered. The tracking chip

ded s

bottom drawer, and shoved it beneath

echoed through the ro

r opene

cou

sion unreadable. "I told you,

ed. "I don't need twenty men with guns shado

need is to

him, "is to realize I'm not one of your posses

nk I don't lie awake at night knowing that someone out

acked then.

ned by the flash

ntrol. It's about war. You walked into my world when you married me. There are peop

old ran dow

?" she whispered. "Why

n't want to dr

o late f

ed to a near wh

The silence between them no longer s

ues

pl

w how to cross wit

e, Damon... then let me in. Don't just use

ression

co

cr

nread

gned the papers, Aria saw something

ub

hrough the tall windows, but the warmth ne

tray the maid had placed before her. Croissants, orange slices,

adn't

oor half the night. Not with the ec

her phone. Fi

i

est ti

red. That her voice sounded thin. That som

lie to him

r than Damon's usua

" she sai

ind eyes flicked over Aria's face, and without a wo

what to do with th

rowned

didn't leave a name. B

she picked up the envelop

a single

ga

sidewalk outside the Callahan estate

as sm

one off

n watching her. Some

wo

o, words were sc

d happier

k wasn

ood ra

o left this?" s

es lowered. "No, ma'am. Just instructions

click, and Aria sat frozen, st

on the balcony railing

ne buzz

message

you. Please. So

sed the room, opened the dresser drawer-and reached pas

tared

iberately, she sn

kled for a second before sh

one being

laroid on the table, a creeping

t done be