LOGINA man as proud as Christian would never bring himself to touch a woman who'd already been with another man.What Quentin had said served two purposes. One was to remind Talia that he would never let her go easily, and the other was to make sure Christian knew that they had slept together.Christian walked out of the Henderson residence with a stony expression and found Talia still waiting by the car.It was freezing outside, and her face had gone red from the cold. Even so, she was still gripping Quentin's silver handgun. Whether it was because it belonged to Quentin or because she wanted it for her own protection, it was hard to say.Christian didn't ask. He walked up to her, glanced at her flushed cheeks, and asked, "Why didn't you get in the car?"Talia didn't spare him an ounce of politeness. "You know why."Christian looked amused. "Are you worried I'd kill him?""He's not as weak as you think," Talia said without a shred of doubt. "And you're not as strong as you think you
Only after Quentin agreed did Talia slowly lower the gun.She turned without hesitation and walked over to Christian. They locked eyes for a moment before she spoke. "Let's go. We're leaving."Christian holstered his gun. His gaze lingered on the flush still coloring Talia's cheeks, and a wave of discomfort twisted through him, though he forced it down.When he spoke, his voice was so hoarse that it barely sounded like him. "Did you make things clear with him?"Talia looked at Christian and narrowed her eyes slightly, then let out a dry, humorless laugh. "It's done."Christian stared at her in cold silence, saying nothing more.Talia tilted her head. "What else do you want?"He was quiet for a long time before he finally said, "Come here and kiss me."Talia thought she'd misheard him. "What?""Kiss me," he repeated.Talia bit her lip and stared at him as tears spilled down her cheeks. The look in her eyes was a tangled mess of emotions, but none of them held the fierce love t
Talia had barely finished getting dressed and hadn't even had a chance to fix her hair before Christian lost whatever patience he had left. He aimed his gun at the door, fired several shots, and then slammed his foot into it.The door crashed inward and hit the floor, and every barrier between them disappeared in an instant.Christian stepped inside, gun in hand, his dark eyes sweeping the room. Talia's clothes were wrinkled, her hair tousled, and her lips swollen and flushed. Every detail on her body was a silent reminder that something had just happened.His gaze shifted to Quentin, who stood shirtless, his tan skin catching the light with a warm, golden sheen.Something inside Christian snapped. He raised the gun and pointed it directly at Quentin's head.But before his finger could reach the trigger, Talia stepped between them and shielded Quentin with her body. Her expression was blank, her eyes completely cold.In the silence that followed, Christian broke first. His voice
The finality in Talia's expression sent Quentin's heart into a frenzy. Fear gripped him. He tightened his hold on her hand, unable to make himself let go.Talia struggled weakly. "Quentin, let go."He lowered his head and tucked his chin into the curve of her shoulder, letting his full weight settle over her. He couldn't help wondering if this was the only way to keep her from slipping out from under him.He held her as tightly as he could, but it felt like trying to hold onto the wind. She was right there beneath him, yet somehow he couldn't get a grip on her, as though she might vanish at any second.His voice shook. He had never been this vulnerable before. "Please, don't leave me."Talia didn't have the strength to push him off, so she lay still under the weight of him. She could feel his body trembling, and hers trembled right along with it.She turned her face away. Tears rolled from the corners of her eyes as she stared at the soft halo of the overhead light, her voice low
Quentin stopped caring about holding back. He closed the distance between them and swept Talia into his arms.He lifted her onto the dining table, his hands firm under her thighs, and pressed his mouth against hers without any of his usual gentleness. This time, he was urgent, almost rough.His hands tugged at her clothes without any regard for the way she pushed against him. Every other time before this, he'd asked her again and again if she was okay with it. But that night, he was past that.If he couldn't stop her from leaving with words, then this was the only way he knew to keep her. His kisses weren't really kisses anymore. He bit, grazed, and tasted her with a desperation that bordered on recklessness.Talia resisted. She pressed her hands flat against his chest to keep a distance between them. But he pulled her hands away, reaching for the buttons of her top while his lips trailed lower.She managed to get a few words out between breaths, her voice strained. "Quentin, don'
Talia and Quentin walked side by side toward the house, hand in hand, just like they had so many times before. Only this time there was no sweetness in it, because Talia knew that when she left the Henderson residence that night, they wouldn't be together anymore.Neither of them spoke as they made their way from the front gate to the main hall. The silence between them only deepened the grief hanging over the evening.The moment they were inside, Quentin turned and locked the front door behind them. Talia watched his smooth, deliberate movements without saying a single word.When he turned back around, his reddened eyes settled on hers. "Now we can talk."Talia forced a weak smile, her voice rough. "Quentin, why are you putting yourself through this?"He could tell that she wasn't playing around. Every trace of humor drained from his face, and his eyes filled with something raw and wounded. "All I know is that you're mine, Talia."Her breath caught in her throat. "Quentin, I'm n
After receiving the address, Talia stopped by the Stewart residence again to return the books.It was exactly 6:30 pm when Henry arrived at the restaurant he'd booked.He knew it was Talia's birthday tomorrow and was more than aware that she was busy. He was sure that her family would spend the da
Talia's cheek rested against Quentin's chest. She could hear the low hum of his voice and the steady thump of his heartbeat.His words were so full of emotion that even Talia, who had already been married, couldn't help feeling her heart skip a beat for a moment.But she knew that Quentin was a wo
Christian's words carried an obvious threat.Talia heard it clearly and knew that he was defending Nancy.Worried that Henry might get dragged into their conflict, she stood and said to Henry, "Henry, let's go somewhere else."Christian noted her action. His cold eyes narrowed as he studied them
Franklin sat at the head of the table and ordered Connor, who was sitting in the corner, "Connor, get up and sing a birthday song for your sister-in-law."Connor was playing on his phone. Hearing his grandfather say this, he couldn't help but mock, "Grandpa, she's not a kid anymore. Why would we si







