The Billionaire's Captive Bride

ower came f

came from the sound

ing ex

ng mean

never expecte

-

cameras watching her anymore, no staff in sight. Ju

robe floated behind her as she moved through the halls, every step echoing like defiance. She pa

reached h

s unl

ai

wanted her to

like he want

est

her she would

e was don

epped

first, followed by the faint scent of his

for the draw

m and stared at the only personal thin

displa

velvet pedestal, was an

ti

o

uab

netary sense. In

eft him silent for a full hour. He hadn't said anything that night. He'd just sat there

w it w

le. E

ymb

eap

out and lifte

smooth surface of the wa

tly, like a dy

hesi

n't who

n't a d

her feel small.

ng, anything. Because silence was kill

nds ti

he pocket watch

shattere

Metal

directions-scattering across

oed through t

time since this fo

something

t followed wasn

s cle

-

rteen minutes for D

time

s from destruct

lders broad beneath a dark coat, his jaw already clenched, h

say anythi

oked pa

broken

stroye

th

lau

laugh. Not

sounded more like a stor

ing in the fragments sca

," he said quietly

ve broken so much of me. I

snapped b

didn't try to c

any idea what

ing her chin. "I've s

belonged t

eath c

o

im fe

the day he died. I've kept it intact through every war, every

. Just a crack.

thought this w

faltered-but o

e. My freedom. And I'm the vill

watch," he said. "

ping closer, "you should ask

een them snapped

nk, he reached forwa

ro

gentle

l something?" he whispered. "Yo

oat tig

to stop pretending this is a

ghtened. "You're

what i

ped to a low,

is m

ct-he pulled her forward,

sn't

n't ca

punis

ses

ng to kiss the f

less, terrible s

e pushe

a

lammed int

eathing hard, both shaken by som

e breaking. "You can't keep trying

'd peeled back the last p

e turn

stepped over the shattered wa

-

stood

ak

t twisted in her

d stru

ad hu

n't sure wh