He stepped closer. One hand came up to cup my jaw—not cruelly, but firm. Certain.“You’re not an asset, Cara,” he said softly. “You’re everything they’d steal from me if I let them.”I swallowed hard.There was nothing romantic in the way he said it. It wasn’t love.It was war. Wrapped in silk. Star
CARA's POVThe zipper whispered up my spine with finality. The mirror gave me a second look at myself—at the dress clinging to every inch like it knew secrets my skin hadn’t spoken aloud yet. It was midnight blue, clean lines, no sleeves. Daring. A little dangerous. Just like the man who bought it.
“Cara,” he whispered like a broken prayer, like my name alone had the power to unmake him.I wrapped my legs around his waist and pulled him deeper. My body arched to meet him, skin sliding against his as sweat bloomed where we touched. The friction lit up every nerve inside me. It was too much. Not
But not from fear.From something else entirely.************The door slammed behind us.Wesley’s hand was still tangled in mine, his palm hot, trembling. I didn’t know who pushed who first—maybe it didn’t matter—but the second our mouths met, it wasn’t gentle. It wasn’t soft. His lips crashed into
CARA's POVThe door to Wesley’s office slammed against the wall as I burst in. I didn’t care that Cooper stood just outside like a statue. Didn’t care if half the estate heard me.“What the hell is this?” I snapped, shoving my phone toward him. “Why does it say I was ‘cleared’ to go on a garden walk
He laughed, but it quieted quickly. He glanced sideways. “You’ve been pulling away. Since… everything.”I stiffened. “Nothing happened.”“Cara,” he said gently, stepping in front of me, “you look like someone dropped you in the middle of a war zone.”My chest cracked open.“What if they did?” I whis