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    She tried to turn around, but Hull was already there, pressing a possessive kiss to her neck, his hands anything but innocent.


    Susanna froze. Seriously? What was this?


    "Hey, what are you doing-stop it."


    She instinctively twisted away, but before she could even lift her head, Hull pulled her firmly into his arms.


    Suddenly, Susanna could feel something different radiating from Hull. He was cold, yes—but underneath, there was sadness, anger... all tangled together, his muscles taut and tense.


    Susanna wriggled a little, managing to lift her head from his chest. "Hey, what''s with you? Are you okay?"


    The moment she met his eyes, Susanna saw it—a storm of emotions swirling beneath his usual icy stare. That restraint, that pain, it was right there at the edge.


    "Hull, you-"


    Before she could finish, his hands cupped her face and he kissed her, hard.


    Susanna blinked in shock.


    This kiss was fierce, burning-and full of a rage and sorrow that seemed to swallow her whole.


    She wanted to push him away, but instead, her arms slid around his lean waist, holding him closer.


    Hull was tall, broad-shouldered. In his embrace, Susanna felt tiny, like a porcin doll in his arms.


    For a long moment, they stayed like that... until Susanna''s cheeks were flushed red fromck of air and Hull finally let her go. He looked down at her, the storm in him finally starting to clear.


    He let out a short, bitterugh. "You''re hopeless..."


    Susanna scowled. "What the hell was that, Hull? What''s going on with you?"


    He hadn''t been himself since seeing Derek. Did Derek say something to him? The thought of Derek made Susanna''s skin crawl. She barely knew the man, and what she did know, she didn''t like.


    A father was supposed to be someone you could trust-not a man like Derek. He didn''t deserve the title.


    Hull pulled her back into his chest, tucking her head under his chin. "Susanna."


    "Yeah?" she mumbled.


    "ck Gate is going down," Hull said, his voice low and harsh.


    Susanna froze. "What?"


    Hull''s voice grew even colder. "Your father might die."


    Her heart skipped a beat.


    She pushed herself up, staring into his eyes. Hull stared right back, his gaze icy and unyielding. Whatever was now in to see.  t


    he''d been holding back, it fel


    Susanna sniffed. "And if he dies... will it be because of you?"


    Death. The word had been hanging over Susanna for weeks, but not for Derek. She''d been terrified for her mother, Lacey If anything, she wished was Derek who would disappear-after all, every bad thing that had happened to her mother was his fault.


    For Susanna, it had always been a battle: her mother versus Derek. If someone


    had to lose, she''d choose him.


    But now Hull was saying Derek might die-and at his own hand.


    Hull didn''t hesitate. "Yes."


    Susanna''s breath caught in her throat.


    So Derek would die, and it would be Hull who did it.


    She sniffled again. "Why? What did he do to you?"


    Hull was silent. For a second, Susanna saw a shadow flicker across his face-a


    memory, old and faded, but impossible to forget.


    She looked at him, her own eyes clear. He didn''t answer.


    Susanna shrugged. "Well, I hate him too."


    It was true. Hull had his reasons-and so did she.


    Ever since she''d learned Derek existed, ever since Ivanna Nelson and Leanne Nelson had stormed Hull''s ce and tried to kill her, Susanna''s already fragile link to her biological father had snapped. From that moment on, she and Derek were enemies-father and daughter in name only, bound instead by nothing but hate.