Shadows Of A Forgotten Spring

Chapter 70

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Pulling himself free, his hand gripped the length of his throbbing desire. He closed his eyes and let his head fall back, the image of Emma flooding his mind. Her smile, her laugh, the way she moved-it all played on an endless loop in his head.

His hand moved rhythmically, seeking relief from the torment, but it wasn't enough. No matter how much he tried, the pleasure was hollow, a poor substitute for what he truly craved.

He wanted her. Needed her. No one else could make him feel whole-no one else could

d fill the void she had left behind.

Just as he was beginning to lose himself in the sensation, the shrill ring of his office phone jolted him back to reality.

"Damn it," he hissed, cursing under his breath as he reached for the phone, his frustration reaching a boiling point,

He answered with a terse, "What?" his voice rough and uneven, bis emotions barely contained.

"Sir, it's Kevin," came the steady reply. "I've got the details on the man you asked about

Alexander straightened, his breathing still heavy. He tucked himself away, composing himself as best as he could. "Il call you back." he said curtly before slamming the receiver down.

clicking sharply against the tiled floor. Her face was twisted with rage, her eyes. blazing as though fueled by a fire she could no longer contain. She looked every bit the demon she had been accused of being, her fury barely

soft, filled with something Annie hadn't seen directed at her in a long time, if

Annie was not one to cry; she hated the vulnerability it exposed. But she had wielded tears as a weapon for years, a means to pull

as she grabbed a

counter and hurled it at the wall. The shattering sound was satisfying but fleeting, the shards glittering on the floor like the pieces of her crumbling facade. She clenched

a threat. She was the embodiment of everything Annie had fought

her anger, her phone vibrated insistently in her purse. The shrill ringtone grated against her frayed nerves. Snatching the device, she didn't

her

made her blood boil even more. She clenched her jaw, wishing she'd ignored the call altogether. "What the hell do you want? Annie growled, masking the unease that

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Chapter 70

so hasty," the man replied, his tone mocking. "Our business isn't over until

П

he intended. "I

But a woman came to see me a few days

room seemed to tilt, her grip on the phone tightening.

for me to know," he said, a grin evident in his voice. "She