le tear burned Christ
her wrists. He took a massive step backward, his chest heaving as he
pulling her knees to her chest, gasping for breath. She lifted a shaking hand and wiped the blood
lent. Only the sound of their r
placed by a thick, impenetrable wall of ice. He forced his posture straight, p
. His voice was comple
move. She just
your father. Here is my offer. You spend tonight with me. Tomorrow morning, you sig
. "Marriage?" she whispered, her voice cracking. "Why? I
ut this time his touch was clinical. "Don't flatter yourself. A wife is a useful t
straight. He pulled back his cuff
coldly. "If you say no, I walk out that do
tting an anvil. Eloise stared at the floor. Her father's pale face fl
r stomach twisted so hard
closed her eyes. "Yes," she whispe
er hit him-anger that she would sell herself so
one arm behind her knees and the other aro
. Her hands instinctively flew up, grippin
staircase. He didn't bother turning on the l
into the soft blankets. Before she could push herself up, Christian was o
se, tossing it onto the rug. His eyes were pitch b
ating tears leaked from the corners of her eyes, soaking into her pi
rough thumb brushing against her cheek, wiping the wetness away. The
low whisper. "If you're going to treat
n. She opened her eyes and met his intense gaze. Her
sh her. His lips brushed against hers with a suffocating, he
s fingers brushed against her bare stomach. The contrast of his ho
ts. She stopped fighting. She let herself sink into the
ows across the bed. In the quiet darkness, Christian took the woman he had wanted for ten years, using the o
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