“Feelings?” The word felt fat and foreign on my tongue. “What kind of feelings?” My mind raced, struggling to make sense of that word. Feelings. Of all the things I’d expected—and from all people—this was the last thing I’d ever expected to hear out of Marco’s mouth. “I want more than friends.” Ma
Aldo Morning sunlight filtered through the tall windows of my study, illuminating the cluttered desk I’d been ignoring for hours. Reports and files lay scattered across the wooden tabletop, each representing something vitally important that demanded my attention. And yet, I’d given no thought to a
Aurora was beautiful, intelligent, and part of the world I had given myself to. Part of the family I’d been born to lead. Everyone wanted—expected—us to end up together. Had always expected it. I stood abruptly to pace the length of my study. My feet sank into that loathsome bearskin rug. Layla had
Layla I stared at the man across the restaurant. He was gorgeous—dark curls slicked back, dark eyes fringed in dark lashes, dark skin glowing gold in the soft light. His suit perfectly framed the breadth of his shoulders and accented his narrow waist. Like a fallen angel landed on Earth. Too bad
Aldo stood. “All right.” I led the way through the restaurant lobby and out into the parking lot. The cool night air whispered across my cheeks and my short heels clicked against the pavement of the parking lot. I stopped around the side of the building, where I thought we might have the best cha
Aldo I arrived in the kitchen late the next morning—to ensure Layla had already left for work—to find an unexpected visitor awaiting me with crossed arms. I bit back a groan of dismay at the sight of the tiny Italian woman in my kitchen. “Hello, Mother.” “So good to see you, Vasco.” Melissa Marc
Layla I didn’t have much to pack. In the short few weeks I’d spent at Aldo’s manor, I’d accumulated only a small collection of things—a few items of clothing one of Aldo’s men had retrieved for me from my townhouse, a handful of things I’d purchased for myself because I couldn’t stand the thought
Aldo Morning sunshine streamed through the expansive arched windows of the formal dining room, bathing the sprawling dining table in a warm glow. The scent of fresh-brewed coffee and just-out-of-the-oven pastries wafted through the air from the kitchen. An utterly idyllic scene, truly. And frankly
Maybe that’s what made the next words tumble from my lips. “Have we met before?” Ethan’s dark brow furrowed, and his words came out softly. “Why do you ask?” “You just …” I chewed my lower lip, trying to find the right words. “You remind me of someone.” “Do I?” The lines of Ethan’s face smoothed
Layla I’d barely stepped back inside the front doors of the hospital before I was returned to the demanding pace of medical life—hadn’t even made it back to my office. “Incoming! Stab victim, male, mid-thirties!” a nurse called, her voice sharp with urgency. In no time at all, I was gloved and ma
Dammit! It wasn’t a shortcut; it was a dead end. My heart plummeted. “No.” The footsteps grew louder, slowing as my follower approached. I turned around, that brick wall to my back, to face the hooded stalker. My hands clenched into fists at my sides. Weeks of self-defense training wouldn’t go to
Layla The hospital’s signature fluorescent lights hummed in my ears as I completed my final round before my dinner break. It was late—far too late for dinner for anyone but a healthcare worker—and most of the staff had gone home. The quiet hours gave me time to think. I wasn’t sure if that was a
“You’d really do that?” she asked, and my chest clenched tighter at the sound of hope in her voice. “Yeah,” I murmured. “I would.” For a long moment, she said nothing. Just studied my face, like maybe she was searching out lies. But this night had been only truths. Relieving ones. Painful ones.
Aldo The light and music of the ball faded behind us as we strolled from the manor. Our footsteps crunched lightly against the flagstones, and the cool night air kissed my cheeks in a welcome respite from the stifling perfumes and colognes and potpourris of the ballroom. A gentle wind wove its fi
I knew what it was to be driven by ambition. I knew what it was to work hard, every day, trying to fill the emptiness in your chest. Only to wonder if you’d be hollow forever. I knew what it was to get the things you wanted, to grow and achieve and prosper, and still lie away in bed at night. That
Layla I found solace out on the rear balcony, in a quiet corner of the night. Free of Marco’s smile and Aldo’s steadfast presence, I felt suddenly shaky, my chest too tight. The champagne in my fingers did little to calm me. The cool air caressed my skin, a welcome reprieve from the suffocating te
The floor was almost entirely filled with guests dressed to make my new attire feel shabby. I lingered along the fringes of the room, tongue-tied, overwhelmed, and outclassed. How long was I supposed to stay here? Maybe I could walk around, nod and smile, and be on my way? “You look beautiful.” Al