From Ashes To His Embrace

lose to Elias's. "Chasing after a woman who can't stand th

n, harder this time. "You think you can just force y

of a crowded luxury store. They were rich and arrog

self, but it was four against one. A fist flew, catching him on the

he was no fighter. His resistance only seemed to enrage th

ch of glass and metal. A collection of delicate, diamond-encrus

l silent. Eve

ds stopped, their eyes wide.

pointing at the wreckage. "Looks like you

way, melting

the display!" Bryce shouted to the

Elias alone in the middle of

e-looking woman with a pin

his!" she shrieked.

ied to explain. "I was a

lay is worth over a million dollars. Do you have a million dollars?" She looked him up and down w

nd still clamped on his arm like a vice. She loo

n't be n

voice cut thr

ng at the scene with an expression of deep annoyance

icking on the marble floor. She didn't

amages on

aw dropped. "Ms

ra said, her voice leavi

ated, and she had seen it all. A part of him, a stupid

ain, but she spoke first, her eyes finall

said. "Consider this a payment to keep y

ing the silence

and you will apologize for attacking

nning cold. Apologize? To the man

voice quiet but f

ise in her eyes. She was

ne in the sand. "And I don't owe you, or him, anythi

ook of contempt. For a moment, he thought she saw him, really saw the man stan

her voice clipped.

way, leaving him to fac

n, knowing her legal team would handle it. He walked out of the store in

brella, trying to hail a cab. Cars

e that had brought him here. But it wasn't his driver. Isa

o pull away. She passed right by him, not even a glance in his dire

ugh his jacket, chilling him to the bone. He d

his head hitting the concrete. Pain flared through his skull, and his vision

ld went

d just inches from him. He lay there,

close nearby. Isadora' s li

muffled by the rain. "Ms. Nav

sh on the street. He imagined the struggle in her mind. The logical, cold person she was no

ice, sharp and

miliar, grabbed his arm and hauled him to h

furious, as if helping him was the most inco

e car," sh

ling his arm free. "I

in and drown than accept another ounce o

lias," she snapped.

e stepped back, out from under t

aid

o leave him there. But then, with a growl of exasperation, she lunged forward, gra

e said, her voice low and menaci

e back seat and slamme