جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 30

*Grace's POV*I stared at my reflection in the full-length mirror. My breath caught in my throat. The black dress Mia had brought was nothing like the modest floral skirts or comfortable sweaters I usually wore. It was sleek. It hugged every single curve of my body, the hem stopping daringly high at my mid-thigh. The neckline dipped low, suspended by two incredibly thin spaghetti straps. I looked completely different. I looked older. Bolder. "See?" Mia whispered, coming up behind me and resting her chin on my shoulder. "You look stunning, G. The General would probably lose his mind if he saw you in this."A fierce, instantaneous blush flooded my cheeks. My stomach did a violent flip at the mere thought of Alexander’s intense, storm-gray eyes raking over this dress. *No,* I firmly reminded myself. *He would not like it. He would probably cite a military dress code violation and lock me in the library.* I pushed the terrifying image of my husband out of my head. I grabbed my small

*Grace's POV* I was lost in my own world dancing out my anxiety, but I couldn't really relax, the thoughts of my terrifying husband finding my empty room hasn't left my mind even for a second I was hoping we would finish up quickly so I can go home before he finds out I escaped without security. I was lost in my thought dancing to the music,completely ignoring the man trying to talk to me for a while now I made up my mind that it was time to go home,it was more than 40minutes now,but before I could make a move,the deafening club music violently cut off. The heavy, vibrating bass died instantly in my chest. The flashing blue and red strobe lights stopped spinning. A split second later, the bright, harsh overhead house lights snapped on, instantly illuminating the massive, crowded dance floor. A collective groan of confusion and irritation rippled through the hundreds of peopl

*Mia’s POV* I stood on the wet sidewalk outside *Neon*, clutching my bright red clutch, shivering slightly in the cool night drizzle. The crowd that had been waiting outside the club was still buzzing with frantic whispers. "Did you see the size of that guy?" a frat boy nearby muttered, shaking his head. "He looked like he could snap a tank in half." I rolled my eyes. I knew exactly who the guy was. My best friend had just been scooped up and carried off by the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. Grace was probably currently experiencing the most intense, terrifyingly sexy scolding of her life in the back of an armored SUV, while I was left standing on the curb in the rain. I pulled out my phone to call a cab. Before I could even open the app, a massive, matte-black military SUV—identical to the one the ge

*Grace's POV* It took me ten full minutes just to catch my breath. I stood alone in the parlor, staring at my flushed, wide-eyed reflection in the mirror. My lips were slightly parted. My chest was still heaving. The ghost of Alexander’s lips burned violently against my neck. With trembling fingers, I carefully unhooked the back of the midnight-blue silk gown. I let the heavy fabric pool at my feet, terrified of wrinkling it. I quickly slipped back into my comfortable oversized sweater and leggings I looked in the mirror one last time. The gray diamond rested perfectly in the hollow of my throat. It matched his eyes. It felt incredibly heavy, despite its delicate chain. I didn't want to remove it I took a deep, shaky breath, gathered my courage, and walked out of the parlor. The grand sitting room was warm. A fire crackled cheerfully in the massive stone hearth, chasing away the chill of the rainy afternoon. Sitting on a plush velvet sofa, sipping from a delicate por

*Grace's POV*The massive, gold-leafed doors of the Grand Capitol Ballroom clicked shut behind us. The heavy, electric tension in the room was instantaneous. The ballroom was breathtaking. Massive crystal chandeliers cast a warm, glittering glow over hundreds of the wealthiest, most powerful people in the country. Waiters in pristine white tuxedos carried silver trays of champagne. A string quartet played softly in the corner. Every single head in the room turned to look at the Supreme commander….at meI swallowed hard, my fingers curling tightly into the fabric of his dark green uniform sleeve. "Breathe, Grace," Alexander murmured. His deep, gravelly voice vibrated right against my ear, meant for me and me alone. His large, calloused hand rested heavily, possessively on the bare skin of my lower back. The heat of his palm burned straight through the midnight-blue silk of my gown. "I'm trying," I whispered back, my heart hammering a frantic rhythm against my ribs. We slowly des