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p edge of the thick folder biting into her skin. The thick stack of papers hit her
r fingers shook as she picked up the papers. She saw the mas
as a live video from the ICU. Grandmother lay there, a plastic oxygen mask s
ered. "Or I call the hospital right
ped down on her shoulders. Evelyn's bodyguard
ath. The air burned her lungs. For her grandmother
piece of black silk at Ar
cold, triumphant stare, Aracely stood frozen for a split second. A deep sense of humiliation burned in her chest, but the steady beep of her grandmother's heart monitor echoed in her mind, drowning out her pride. Wi
g into Aracely's skin. She dragged her down
ered harshly. She shoved Aracely i
e lock turned. The hallway light was
oden door. Her chest heaved. A strong s
the room. Someone sat
d with a blinding pain. He hadn't slept in days. Th
was rough, dripping with irritation.
rned and grabbed the brass door h
tside. The rattling sound
vers off. His bare feet hit the floor. He
ried to step back, but her back was already flat against t
y in the pitch blackness, but then-he stopped. A sudden, sweet scent drifted up from her skin and filled his lungs. It was natural gardenia. It was the exact, faint scent she had inherited from her mother's bloodline, a unique mark of the women in her family. The scent hit his brain like a heav
d his head and buried his face in the crook
cely flinched. She brought her hands
nside him. Brennen grabbed her narrow wai
down. He lowered his head and capture
her cheeks. She thought of the hospital machines keeping
addicted to her scent. He lost all control. He swe
ed. Brennen fell into a deep, heav
s whole body ached. She carefully
pped it on. Her bare feet made no sound on the carpet.
s eyes open. The bed beside him was empty. Only that maddening s
growled. "Get in h
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