streets of Chelsea, letting the hars
vibrating aggressively. The scre
ressed the answer button and
through the speaker, cold and absolute. "You are not to
eyes, the street
utally honest. "I can't even bear to touch a single hair on
into Aletha's chest and shredding the very last,
lled the phone away, ended the call,
corner near the Chelsea Art Gallery. This was the
brass bell chimed brightly. The warm air and the smel
to a passing waiter, grabbed a flute of cham
er throat, but it did nothing to melt
ght, blocking the crowd. The familiar, comforting
ual calm, collected demeanor of the Wall Street p
e empty glass from her tight grip. His
?" he asked, his voi
to a polite smile, but the moment she met her childh
d her shoulders, shielding her from the crowd, and guided her
Julian stripped off his custom suit jacket an
stared down at the blurry headlights of the trafficfocating toxicity of her three-year loveless marriage. She told him about the h
him she was Lan-but she gave him all
ark white. The veins on the back of his hands bulged, anAletha by the shoulders, fo
fierce determination. "Just nod your head, Aletha,
er, broken smile. She
clauses. My family is tied into his trust. I can
r his breath, calling Kristo
ound her. His large hand rubbed soothing circles on her back,
se muscles finally relax in a space whe
the main exhibition hall downstairs, sha
tly shifting into a defensive glare as he looked toward
a deep, steadying breath, locking her emotions back behi
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