COLD HEARTS HIDDEN FIRE

had never felt t

Avery usually found comforting-it was h

hange. Her shop saw more customers than ever. People whispered her na

ust the rev

r online-out of context shots f

Wolfe's Arm – Social C

inching the bri

n. She didn't want it. Her life wa

g was simp

olfe walked through her door

p. More... tense. His eyes scanned h

ay?" he

er arms. "Why

een the a

urse I

hung in

ow breath. "Stac

surprised. She ha

o with that information?"

now I didn't ask

t him then.

your world, Damien. Y

't expe

e cracked slightly. "But I don't have your walls, or your

. His fingers curled i

ix it,"

le like Stacey don't stop when you ask them

Then quietly asked,

said, witho

, neither of

mien said, "She

-

whil

thouse, watching the city l

ghtly, scrolling thro

er

with D

y sm

up at him li

ip tig

had grown up side by side. She knew him before the money, bef

was stealing what she h

o

ldn't a

-

Wee

g expo. Her brand had started to grow thanks to the publicity. Sh

t up her candles. Smi

ugh the day, som

lked by, holding the

d around-

ions were all wrong. A soothing lavender candle now read: "Scent of

heart

sn't a

as sab

pt through her

as she could, but the damage had been done. People had

sion b

heard h

ve

look

his face. He took one look at the booth, the labe

heart

... le

ward a woman in heels

ac

-

allway,

" Damien hissed,

r head. "What

play

ing closer. "You always get like this

. "You're not hurting

one of us

sn't hav

her voice gone. "She saw your name and clung to it

rned cold. "And y

you for years. And I'm not going to let some or

phan-hit him

said slowly. "And whatever we had-

. Her voice trembled.

stepp

I don't want to be the man who lets p

-

That

t, her booth closed early

is small before. Not

he was poor-

ing watched, at

cry. But sh

e knocked a

nd found Damien

thing at first. J

er candles-the real ones.

touched them again

wallowe

re you

at her-rea

you. I should've known Stacey would... I let you walk

me anything,"

"But I'm not here

d. "I'm here beca

ickering hallway light ca

me... she saw the ma

the

e cold

.. Da

eath c

hat this is," s

do I," he

w... that

quiet, the tension

touc

kiss

fee

e strongest kind of f