Semua Bab In His Sheets: Bab 41 - Bab 50

Saturday morning arrived far too quickly. Before the first box was even taped shut, the most critical piece of the puzzle fell into place: my mother was officially transferred out of St. Jude’s and moved into the private, high-security neurological care wing at St. Vincent’s, a world-class facility situated less than ten minutes from Julian’s uptown estate. Funded seamlessly through the medical trust Julian had set up for her, the private suite meant I could slip in and visit her nearly every evening without drawing suspicion or battling two hours of city traffic. "Mara, I swear to God, if you don't start explaining things right now, I'm going to throw this suitcase out the window," Joan huffed, throwing a neatly folded stack of sweaters into my worn duffel bag. Joan had taken the midnight train back into the city, rushing straight from the station to my apartment the second she heard my mother was being moved. Now, she was standing in the middle of my tiny bedroom, her hands

The interior of Julian Vance’s estate was something out of a magazine, polished marble and soaring arched ceilings. "The staff put your things in the west wing," Julian said, his voice echoing off the double-height foyer as the heavy front doors sealed shut behind us. "Second door past the conservatory. It’s entirely private. Connecting balcony to the master suite, but with a deadbolt on your side so you can sleep easy." "Thoughtful," I said dryly, clutching my handbag tight against my side as my heels clicked against the black marble floor. "I suppose having separate bedrooms wasn't in your public announcement to the butler." "Publicly, we’re a whirlwind romance," Julian drawled, taking a sip of his whiskey as he walked alongside me toward the grand sweeping staircase. "Privately, Alistair would have a stroke if we breached the contractual boundaries before the deal clears. Relax, Mara. I keep my promises." The guest suite was larger than the entire apartment I had shared w

I tapped on the glass partition. "Excuse me. Change of plans. Take me to the East Side instead." The driver gave a short nod, swung the wheel around at the next intersection, and headed back toward my old neighborhood. Ten minutes later, I walked up the creaky stairs and unlocked the front door. Joan was sitting on the living room floor surrounded by unfolded laundry, eating cereal straight from a plastic bowl. The second she saw me walk in, she dropped her spoon with a loud clatter. "Mara?" Joan scrambled to her feet, her eyes wide. "What are you doing here? Did something happen? Did that rich guy do something to you?" "No, Joan, I'm fine," I said quickly, dropping my handbag onto the counter and giving her a tight hug to calm her down. "Nothing happened. It's just a work trip. Allegra Group is managing an out-of-state event for Clara, and I have to travel with the corporate team tomorrow morning." Joan pulled back, searching my face with deep, persistent worry. "A work t

"Well, well, hello to you too, brother," Lucas drawled, his grip slackening on my waist as he turned around with that infuriating, easy smile still plastered on his face. "I see you joined the party earlier than planned." "Adrian! Hi, we weren't expecting you here until next week," Victoria said, rushing up to give him a quick, friendly hug. "It is my party, after all. I can come anytime I choose to," Adrian grumbled, barely acknowledging Victoria as he brushed past her. He took long, menacing strides toward where I stood with Lucas, his face a wall of unreadable emotion. The temperature on the terrace seemed to plummet with every step he took. He completely ignored his twin, his lethal, steel-grey eyes locking straight onto mine with an intensity that made my throat go entirely bone-dry. "Come with me," Adrian growled, his voice dropping into a low, terrifying vibration as he stopped barely two inches away from me. "And leave the tea." Without waiting for an answer, he

Adrian didn't flinch. He didn't panic. He slowly shifted his weight, his massive frame completely shielding me from sight as his hand slid out from beneath my dress, smoothing the satin back down over my knees in one swift, deliberate motion. He kept his body pressed flush against mine, trapping my face against his chest while his broad shoulders blocked every single inch of me from Elsie and Amber. "Do you know how to knock, Elsie?" Adrian growled, his voice a low, dangerous rumble that echoed off the stone archway. "Adrian, who is that with you?" Elsie asked, her voice trembling as she took a cautious step closer, trying to peer over his shoulder. "Why are you hiding her?" Before Adrian could answer, a loud, panicked commotion erupted from the main lounge behind them. "Elsie! Hurry!" another guest shouted from down the hall, her footsteps rushing across the terrace. "It's Grandpa! He just dropped his glass and collapsed in the drawing room!" Elsie gasped, her face drai