The heavy silence in the study was broken only by the steady, rhythmic ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner. The crisp white letter from the solicitor, bearing the terrible truth of Lord Hawksley's trap, felt like a heavy stone between them.
"Del," Rowan said softly.
He took a step toward her. His voice was a raw, desperate plea. He reached out his hand, wanting to bridge the sudden, freezing distance that had opened up between them.
Delaney stepped back, clutching the crumpled parchment in her hand. Her hazel eyes were wide, swimming with a mixture of profound hurt and a rapidly growing, suffocating guilt.
"I thought we were partners?" Delaney replied. Her voice trembled, breaking on the last syllable.
She looked down at the letter, then back up at his handsome, deeply worried face. The betrayal stung worse than a physical slap. He had held her while she cried about her own fears, yet he had locked away a secret that threatened to destroy his entire life.
