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Prologue

I raced out of the suite and down the hall The wall of s to my left overlooked the pool and yard just beyond

A storh the trees It sent the beneath the h a thin break in the clouds

My heart raced as I took in the h as he strode across the yard toward his little home

If he even had one

The man lost

A wanderer who raged as he searched through the Earth for where he fit

I wanted to carve out a place for hi To be treasured and loved, the way he showedin return

I burst through the door, pummeled by a squall of wind

A fierce fury that blasted through the air

“What if I don’t want you to go?” I shouted above it “What if I want you to stay, right here, with me?”

In the distance, he froze, as if he had been impaled by the plea Staked to the spot

Slowly, he turned Rain began to pelt from the sky

“I keep telling you that you don’t wantfor”

I didn’t

I didn’t have the first clue what he was going to do to me

If he would love me or if he would wreck me

Maybe I should have turned ht then

Taken heed of the warning that flashed across his gorgeous face

But I stepped out into the rain

And I took the chance

One

Mia

“Are you okay?” Lyrik asked just loud enough for h the air A clatter of voices and laughteras the sounds of the extravagant party carried around us

My older brother had hauled me into a deserted hallhere ere hidden frouests who overflowed his ht to my elbow as he searched my face

I got the sense he orried it was the only way he could keepaway

“Lyrik, I’m fine” As fine as I could be with my heart a jackhammer in my chest