Amelia couldn't shake the words from her mind. They stuck there, like poison, going round and round.

He's only keeping her because she's bargaining power. That's all.

She never knew who told her, whether it was true or just another astutely planted seed meant to alienate her from Alexander. That didn't matter. The damage was already done. Now every look, every touch, every sharp comment from him had two meanings.

The walls of the penthouse loomed nearer than ever. Shadows grew long, the silence ...