A Second Chance At The Choosing

Talle

to retaliate, to use the self-defense I' d rigorously practiced to put him on his back. But I couldn' t. A public brawl would not

ker of a triumphant smile on her lips before it was re

gret?-crossed his face. He' d exposed his true nature in a room full of the city' s m

nor... it hur

ation gone. He wrapped a protective arm around her, gl

m. They saw a problem, a messy drama unfolding at a corporate event. "She must have really provoked him,"

s already sh

Connor commanded, hi

utives, echoed the sentiment. "Yeah, Tall

or his mistakes, for his moods, for his violence. I had apologized for existing too loudly, for breathing

m

nounce our engagement, and this whole ugly incident will be forgotten. I' ll give you everything you could

cker of fear. I held his gaze, letting him see the

eat, a clear, resonant trumpet blast cut through

ett' s right-hand man, the Herald of the company. His eyes scanned the room and landed on me, widening slightly as he took in the br

d to absorb the light around him. His hair was as dark as his brother' s, but there was no warmth in his face, only sharp angles and

someone breathed, the

He moved with a silent, predatory grace, his ga

my cheek, and for a fraction of a second, his cold composure cracked. A muscle in his jaw tighte

as a low rumble, devoid of emotion, yet it car

ver Connor' s broken body, his face a mask of cold fury, his hands stained with his own brother

, but it was my lie to tell. I would not give Connor the sat

interrupted, stepping forward to recl

but Brannon silenced him with a single, sharp g

ony must proceed," he said, his voice softening

thout a glance at Connor, I walked past him, my head

eard Connor mutter to Jana as I passed. "Sh

ce would be