kled like somethi

ing rainbows across marble floors. Laughter and clinking g

her heart thundering so loudly

ked here -

s, though stunning, c

belong in

teeth as they approached a group of sharply

ll eat yo

tremulous smil

ore like

thumb brushing lightly against her bar

ned at thei

ith silver hair and a gold c

aid warmly. "Finally dec

ps curved int

it for the wo

Ariana, raking over her figure with

is lovely crea

ld speak, Leonard

in

ed with dark

gly, and Ariana felt he

-

assed i

ll

ght

ed behind cha

o's side like a porcelai

nd lightly against her back or lean i

e world, it l

tant, suffocating remind

hate

her heart betrayed her - skipping

-

Betr

as Ariana finally

through the air,

ike poisoned honey. "I didn'

tall, blonde, and breathtaking, wearing a b

na Bi

powerful Itali

n engaged - a business arrangement between empires

Ariana like she was filth

ht you had standa

a fli

seemed

's jaw t

of defendi

id no

words hang in the

rang in Ariana's ears, each

throat tigh

, desperate to escape before they

and clamped ar

nar

you're going?" he hi

na croaked.

," he snapped qu

at, something in

, Ariana wrenched he

sion blurring, the humiliating la

-

Ba

y, gulping the cold night

own her face, ho

it come

l sketching art in a Brooklyn c

n diamonds she didn't earn, tra

ange anything," came a

whirled

y, hands in his pockets, watching

e?" she choked out, her

es nar

hem," he said coldly. "You're

it harder t

dom?" he continued, sta

glittering city b

pawns don't survive unle

er head, tears

ur pawn," s

pped inches

is voice droppin

're

he grabbed her chin, for

riana," he growled.

th

isse

-

e

sn't

sn't

session, p

is mouth, her hands pus

ened the kiss, his han

st him - her traitorous body responding - that

the air crackling with some

rong," Leonardo w

ave to break

turned and left he

thless, and mor

-

whil

watched from the shadows, a c

seen eve

onroe - a nobody from Brooklyn - ste

thout