His Stand-in Bride

But a crown can strangle ju

surrounded by men old enough to be my father, their suits dark as vultures' wings, their voices sharp with impatien

the air. My father sat stiffly at the head of the table, his once-powerful frame hunched, his tie askew, his eyes shadow

. "We can't keep stalling, Tate. The lawsuits are piling

egotiating new terms. Mendes Corp i

s don't lie. Bankruptcy is staring you in the face. Unless you can

d in my lap, nails biting into my palms. No one looked at me. N

dshot, his hands restless. For years I'd watched him play king, commanding board

ced by the pounding in my head. I thought of my mother again, her jeweled hand stroking my ha

napped. "Once the headlines hit, it's over. The only thing keeping us quiet i

'll come through. Nate Reynolds doe

ho in New York hadn't? Billionaire. Ruthless. A man who turned failing c

ked for my opinion, though I wanted to scream. By the end, my fath

s ashen. In the hallway,

off and walked ahead, his shoe

rowned in debts and men shouted in his face, I'd escaped. I'd given myself one night

against my throat, the way his eyes burned as if I were the only woman in the world. The hotel sh

dness. And I hated myself for craving the m

wood and fading roses, the kind Amelia loved to scatter in every room. I passed through the quiet ha

door. His voice carri

rstand." A pause. "Of cour

st tig

ading. "She'll be yours, as promised. Amelia won

ster? Amelia? My father was off

his voice, sharp with determination: "We'll

ars. Marriage. A deal sealed with Amelia's hand. My father had promise

g with lamplight, the faint scent of expensive perfume curling in the air

a," I

lder, revealing smooth skin. Her eyes glittered with an

He promised you to Nate Rey

hed. The sound was sharp and re

." She tossed the brush onto the vanity and reached for a cigarette from the silver case.

t upset?"

lay obedient little bride for Nate Reynolds, he's insane." Her lips cu

ce chilled me, even as

sn't sure if she meant i