Liliana forced a smile, but her heart was still pounding with anxiety. She couldn''t just wait for Emma''s instructions; she had toe up with a n of her own. Her mind raced.


    ***


    That liar!


    When Amara woke, the first thing she registered was a warm body beside her, a strong arm wrapped tightly around her waist. The memories of the previous night flooded back, and she was filled with a white-hot rage. But she was not a violent person by nature. Instead of screaming or hitting him, shey there, stewing in her anger. The more she stewed, the more her eyes began to burn with unshed tears.


    Finnian had been awake for a while. He knew he should have left as soon as he''d recovered, but he couldn''t bring himself to let her go. He had spent the hours before dawn just watching her sleep. Now, as the first light of morning filtered into the room, he still hadn''t moved. He felt her stir and saw the glistening in her eyes, and his heart ached.


    "I''m sorry," he whispered, holding her closer. "I didn''t mean for that to happenst night."


    *Didn''t mean for what to happen?* Amara screamed silently. What had urredst night had gone on for a very long time and was... nothing like what he had originally promised. He had tricked her, in and simple. A profound sense of humiliation washed over her, but she refused to voice it. Comining about *that* kind of thing felt... undignified.


    But Finnian understood her silence. He held her tight, murmuring apologies into her ear, whispering sweet nothings, doing everything he could to soothe her. His morning voice was husky and rough, and he was so close that his breath tickled her ear. A shiver ran down her spine. This didn''t feel like an apology; it felt like seduction. She had a sudden, primal urge to bite him. Resisting the impulse, she pushed his face away. "Stop it. We need to get up."


    Seeing the lingering hurt in her eyes, Finnian grew anxious. "Amara, I know I was wrong. I lost control yesterday. Please, don''t be angry with me."


    *Lost control?* What a convenient excuse. Amara didn''t believe a word of it. "Just stop,” she said, her voice tight. “Let''s just get up. I''m hungry.”


    "Okay. Let''s get up and have breakfast."


    Finnian started to pull back the covers, and Amara immediately squeezed her eyes shut. After a moment, she heard the rustle of clothing and guessed he was


    het


    dressed. "I''m getting up now Turn


    around."


    A small smile yed on Finnian''s lips. He wanted to say that afterst night, there was no need for modesty, but he knew that would only make her angrier. He dutifully turned his back.


    Amara nced at his broad, straight back and felt a flush of heat creep up her neck as a vivid memory from the night before shed through her mind. She quickly shook it away and scrambled out of bed to get dressed.


    Once they were both ready, Finnian suggested they have breakfast together, but Amara, still fuming, wanted nothing to do with him. She rejected his offer and took her te back to her room to eat alone.


    Seeing this, Finnian knew she was truly angry and decided not to push her. He ate a quick breakfast and prepared to leave for the day.


    Liliana had been waiting at the entrance to the Everly estate all night. She could have gone home rest and returned early in the morning, but she needed to y the part of the pitiful victim to evoke Finnian''s sympathy. So, she had stood there for hours in her thin clothes, shivering in the cold. By morning, her face was flushed and her legs were purplish from the cold-the exact effect she had been aiming for.