NORA
ck trousers and a charcoal silk blouse when my bedroom
ailed behind her like a bridal veil. She waved away the maid who foll
bandoned room, her eyes glinting wit
mahogany vanity table. "Leaving the family empire behind f
ms crossed over my chest, watching he
jewelry box-the one my late mother had left me-and flipped it open. Inside
ked, playing with the lipstick between her manicured fingers. "Old, rotting, and decre
fake smile turned utterly vicious. She leane
whispered. "Well, look at you now! You're being shipped off to nurse a corpses w
ed in frustration. She turned her malic
tly into the glass of the photo, dragging it hard enough to leave a deep, jagged scratch ri
t to finish t
ouched my
moved faster than h
thumb against the median nerve, a sharp, paralytic bolt of pain shot through her arm, fo
am, my other hand clamped aroun
L
pristine white gown crumpled against the rough su
ry-just enough to restrict her breath without killing her. Her small, pampere
eyes shattered into
her face rapidly turning
said, my voice so cold it felt stripped of all human e
let a tiny gasp of air enter her lungs, b
. "From this day forward, I am Damien Carlisle's wife. In our syndicate, rank is
g uncontrollably, as if looki
an play with Julian's little egos all you want. But if you ever mention my mother again-or lay your filthy
smile. "Enjoy your stolen wedding, little sist
d my grip
a puppet with its strings cut, clutching her t
were dirt on my shoe, calmly
I command
mbled to her feet on hands and knees and practically
ed by the frantic, echoing sound of Charlize's
turned to
ly wiped the dust from the scratched glass with a velvet cloth. I
d her head out, her face pale and her lowe
er quiet, soft-spoken mistress, but
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