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Julian’s grip on Mara’s hand was an anchor in the spinning room. As she found her footing, the heavy wool of his overcoat settled around her shoulders, carrying the faint, crisp scent of winter air and cedar. He kept his arm firmly around her waist, shielding her swollen belly from the surrounding crowd. / Chapter 2 / 15

Chapter 2: The Ride in the Dark

Chapter 2: The Ride in the Dark

The snow was falling heavily as Julian’s driver pulled the Bentley around to the portico. Julian helped Mara into the backseat, treating her with a delicate reverence that made her chest ache. Once the doors were shut and the car pulled away from the glittering Newport mansion, the darkness of the cabin enveloped them.

Julian reached out, his warm fingers lightly tracing the angry red scratch near her hairline. His jaw flexed. "Did she strike you?"

"No," Mara whispered, leaning into his touch. "The ring caught me when she grabbed my hair."

Julian’s eyes dropped to the jagged, blunt end of her hair resting against her collarbone. A muscle feathered in his cheek. He pulled her against his chest, burying his face in the uneven strands. "I’m so sorry," he murmured, the words raw and jagged. "I should have been here. I should have never agreed to keep this quiet."

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"We thought it was for the best," Mara said, closing her eyes as the steady thump of his heartbeat grounded her.

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