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And she needed Stefan to value her, to respect her Suddenly, it felt like thein the world that he did, that she becoo

“I’ll bring you everything I can on him, Stefan This is my city, and my life I will not let him steal any more from me”

“Think carefully, Clio Youone awfulin my life for a woman, cara Not even a surprise wife”

Now there was no taunting saze Urgency pounding through her, she reached hirabbed the lapels of his shirt Thrust her face so close to his that theacross her skin, infiltrating every cell and pore “What do you mean?”

The rhythmic whir of the fax machine in the open study as it cranked out docuainst her skin as Clio waited for an answer, her breath suspended in her throat

Grasping her wrists, he pushed her back Prowled to the fax machine and returned with a sheaf of papers

He produced a gold-tipped fountain pen from somewhere and nodded toward the sheaf of papers

“It e will be only in nan It et fron a prenuptial contract and a nondisclosure agreement that you won’t reveal any of this to another soul or sell the story or write a ether at a later time

“It means you won’t dictate who occupies h with Jackson, and you’ll not throw allegations of love at me

“If you accept and then violate any of the above, the consequences will be far-reaching”

Clio gasped for breath, as if so icy and vicious had been stuck in her chest Tears pricked behind her eyelids, her lungs struggling to breathe

“You thinkyou actually think I planned all this?” she poked hi into a millions shards “You think I orchestrated it so that our farcical engagee and I can mooch off your millions?”

“The thought crossed , without a beat, without wondering how

Clio slapped him so hard that her arm jerked at the i compared to the sharp pain in her chest