Chapter 14

Caroline struggled to pull away. Her voice was taut with anger as she questioned, "Bradley, are you threatening me?" Bradley let out a low laugh, not denying his intentions. He leaned in until the tip of their noses brushed, his breath warm against her skin as he murmured, "This is not a threat; it's a request." He softly asked, "You won't let me down, will you?" They stared at each other for a long, tense moment before Caroline finally nodded. "Okay. I'll talk to David." A faint smile began to curve his lips, but then, she said, "But not now. The marriage between our families isn't some game. You'll need to give me some time to set things in order, right?" Bradley studied her, his eyes dark and unreadable. It was as if he were searching the very depths of her soul. Eventually, he nodded. "I hope you don't keep me waiting for too long. You know I've never been a patient man." Caroline scoffed. He had infiltrated her family for four years. No one with that kind of restraint coul