n Wilc
oldfir Creek smelled of wet wool
glass windows as I walked through the heavy double doors,
enches near the main counter, their hushed laughter m
nd registry witnesses were whispering behind their clipboards, thei
him," a young woman whispered, adjusting her silk scarf. "Left him
's completely ruined. Since that carriage wreck in the mountains three years ago, he hasn't taken a single step without that wheelchair. On top of that, the
toward the furthest alcove where
s in a custom, matt
try hall, the cut of his bone structure
as if sculpted from flawless, white marble by
espoke charcoal coat, and a heavy cashmere blank
olute, unnerv
apping of fingers, no visibl
silence that pushed the rest
amp skirt and walked direc
t the slate floor, the only sou
oking straight down into eyes that were an i
at the desk," I said, keeping my voice s
locking onto mine with the cold weight of a preda
opping several degrees below the am
dn't
until the skin on the back of my neck
lden stare without blinking, "let's get married instead. A legal contrac
arch appeared o
, velvet baritone that resonated through m
his tone. "I am a crippled outcast. A man who cannot walk, stripped of his family succe
ds. "I have my own career and my own assets to protect from the Maddox family. I need a valid, legally binding marriage before five o'clock
died my face for se
atures as if searching for a hidden came
found nothing but the quiet, imp
brief, imperceptible gesture toward
ccable black suit stepped silently out of t
tly, never breaking eye cont
nd placed a heavy sheet of aged vellum across
ndard county mar
dnight-blue wax was an ancient crest bear
legant calligraphy, were the
legal solidarity, shared residence, and u
I picked up the silver fountain pen from the de
an Wi
out to take the p
eavy signet ring crafted from dark silver and se
cking coldness shot through my skin-a temperature so far be
ound, refusi
ellum in a flawless, fluid sweep,
antly, turning an
handing the vellum back to
d eyes unreadable as he rested hi
ngings and bring you to my estate in the w
the deep shadows of the private corridor, vanishin
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