Saved by the Sinner

ne flute trembled i

ttan sparkled like scatter

as the life she was

oundation charity g

polite laughter dr

's speech about family values-t

n her mind: "Smile, darling

lways

ticed the guest o

comment on how perfectly she played her part as

t her emerald silk gown-he

a cliff over her fam

orrow. Maybe that's why

the marble led

heels slipp

ndered, but she

othing but emptiness, the

l, unlike everythin

her dress, making the silk dance a

gh her tears as she lifted th

t like tiny sta

nsive way to get at

gh her thoughts like a b

her spine desp

made her skin tingle in a w

"You're a long way fro

k from th

oser now, carefu

ce that expecte

s slick. One

s the

er throat as she raised

ty lights, fracturing the

ng to control everyt

l, watching it disapp

crystal vanished l

gusted

ipped on th

forward, the city light

stopped, t

her waist like steel ban

and masculine colog

ard, her rescuer twist

body caging hers protectively as l

f him chased away

uminating the darkest

ace that was all har

erous way that mad

ntained in an expe

ar traced

feel his heart hammeri

gne mixed with leather and something u

itorously, warming d

but her fingers had somehow

s soft under her

happe

as another gust o

een them sent sparks throu

go of things

tried to ignore how perfe

ve. Yale graduate. Runs

never left hers,

drown in t

make a permanent exit f

your ho

into her voice, but it cam

ainst hers, radiating heat t

ressed them cl

oing my homework ke

t froze when another piece of the

's my

ully helped her to her feet, keepin

nal but somehow intimat

tilted s

erience or something else, Aria

ced at the edge

ts began to b

ht-she'd only h

gs buc

antly, lifting her as

y blurry vision, sh

through her carefully constructed wa

ed, and for the first tim

felt like

est, where she could hear th

n, which was starting to

me more difficul

t tight, her l

rom the peaceful acceptanc

rong," she man

ghtened pro

he roof access door, his long

as careful

but he shielded

th me, p

been replaced by something

her arm, spreading like

ng orders into his comm unit, felt th

et medical up here now. And loc

his fingers pressed against

she noticed how gentle thos

elt in the arm

ong arms couldn't

*

sensation ret

ospital

p of mo

e, sharp with bare

ass, the champagne, ever

aus

age. I want to know everyone

" A new vo

t tonight. The levels in her blood suggest

calloused fingers wrapping

, she felt the tensio

point, as if reassuring h

Damien whispered, his vo

... they'll wish they

*

figure watched the emergency respo

about the int

had been going wron

s, dissolved like pois

ock toast, the crystal catching the city

tonight, but that was a

ck death would h

so much more