Chapter 81

• She realized that in her hurry, she'd not locked the front door and before she could gather herself together to do so, there was a knock and her door opened. Moments later, Nicholas was inside the house and striding over to her.
• His eyes locked straight onto hers. His Adam’s apple moved up and down his throat repeatedly before his lips finally parted. "Please don't leave me," he said in a hoarse voice.
• She could only stare at him. Was this really Nicholas? Was this wild-eyed, disheveled man the same perfectly groomed and contained man she’d left only an hour ago? His frantic eyes held hers. There was a sheen in them… And then she remembered what an excellent actor he’d already proved himself to be and turned her face away.