IE'S
r Monday. But it f
to the damn building just to look at him. To look at the man who ripped
hated M
anything. I
very morning thinking, maybe today he'l
, stup
ke a ghost in her own skin. No one could tell though. I was always on time. Always put-together. Always
ng. I handled everything. I made sure the empire Calhoun was trying to
t see that.
ors. I double-checked the contracts coming in from the trading sectors. I filed the latest correspondence from the N
anced at the clock t
His me
to walk into his office again and pretend like I hadn't spent the entire weeke
es just to give my hands something to do, anything to stop t
ser I got, like my heart a
en I h
ght
hed. Femi
stoppe
I'd know i
ela
elt like it wanted to shrink, disappear into the f
ened th
ined from my face the
ng on his goddamn de
the one fruit Calhoun always said he hated while his hand worked effortlessly on his
dn't b
up I used when I had a fever. The one who never let me sit too close, who acted like my very presence disturbe
as th
up at me again. Hi
ething trivial. "What do you want? Why are y
face. I wanted to scream and cry.
iated. Heartb
y a whisper. "You have a mee
w what came over me-maybe instinct, maybe worry.but I took half a step for
Calh
n nearly sh
tely reached for the other mug on his table, a ceramic one he never let anyone touch. The one I'd tried
sip, whispering something I couldn't hear. His hand never left her body-gentle strokes on her
. God, it h
est version of hi
asn't the
he did-and pressed a possessive kiss to his lips. Her hand came up and wrapped ar
smiled. A sof
e purred. "You'd do anything to
olders I held. It took everything in me n
twitched into
mth on his face like that. And it was lik
rs, and with a small,
. Anything
ing f
t
er
ds tre
ack to reality-just barely. I glanced down at the screen. It
nd lowered my gaze to hide t
Alphas are still waiting for your response.
t a little. Enough to see Carmela roll hers
ly at me. "I swear, I hate this Gamma of
iffe
his glare
dark eyes that had once
not even sparing me a full glance. "My future Luna
ting, or maybe to suggest someone else deliver the messa
ngs," he said, sharply. Like it was a remi
ly I had to clench my fists
form to reschedule the session. I was just about to turn when Carmela let ou
best broth in the office. I'd like to try one. I'll stay back her
ngs l
no. N
d her. Go make the broth. Sta
consideration. No look at me to see
it hurt to even curv
, Al
est ached. My eyes burned. But I walked out.
to convince my
to pull myself
holding the tray, the first thi
ie with both hands, like a perfect little wife. His head bent
quietly. As I turned toward her with the bowl, Cal
o her, placed it gent
ked up the spoon, took a sip And
ore she shrieked. I barely had time to step bac
hirt, scalding heat burning into
mbling back, trying
e wasn
. She hurled it with such rage I couldn't dodge it fast enough. It shattered right
own. I staggered and caught myself on th
wing a dangerous amber.
mma. What were you try
ldn't
came out. Just stuttering breaths and shame burni
or bur
ed by a few staff members
a.Carmela
-like she'd rehearsed this moment. She rushed into his arms
because I told her off earlier for interrupting us. She
eart pounding, waiting-just waiti
he d
ispered something in h
someone behind m
ed by seventy percent. And make sure she learns to make better
Carmela's waist, gently tugged
was
uest
def
ance
that, I wa
ed, bleeding, humiliated as the
into pieces no one woul
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