Velvet Chains: Will it break?

et P

eavy it felt like a weight

hrough floor-to-ceiling windows. Somewhere below, the city pulsed -

nged to him.

e gallery had ever earned. Her overnight bag, a battered old thing with frayed straps, looked pitiful beside the sle

thes instead - worn jeans, a loose paint-strea

offee. The space was cold, spotless - a kingdom of poli

immaculate in a tailored shirt with the sleeves rolled up, tie draped

eyes swept over her old clothes, then flicked back

ning, Mis

here a rule against making my own coff

ou may do whatever you

ound her even when he didn't touch her at all. She poured her coffee - black, too strong

a long moment. He read

cut through the tension li

nroe, sipping bad coffee in Cassia

oad-shouldered, with salt-and-pepper hair swept back in an artful wa

lean, elegant, with tousled blond hair

her, Alec Blackwood. And his husband, Julian

range juice like he owned the place. He raised it in a toast to her. "We

g the annoyed grunt that earned him. Then he tur

ve heard all about the storm t

herself laughing despite everything. "I'm

an escape plan, come to us. We specialize in draggin

arning glare that made no

ce cracked just a little. Elara sipped her too-bitter coffee, glaring at Cassian's unbo

regret ever thinking he co