The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

Aurora's brow furrowed slightly. "Violence? Simone, you're being reckless. I've heard Seymour's been a fighter since he was a kid-nasty, ruthless. There are rumors he's killed more than a few people.

To keep him from causing even more trouble, the Chapman family shipped him off

to a military camp in Solmaris, hoping it would straighten him out.

But instead of reforming him, it just made him even tougher.

After getting discharged, he put quite a few rich kids in the hospital-some barely

walked away.

What if he gets carried away and actually kills someone?"

The light, girlish shyness in Simone's face vanished, replaced by an icy indifference.

"If Seymour really beats someone to death or maims them, that's just fate. Survival of the fittest. If he's eliminated, maybe he was meant to be. I don't waste my time caring about people who can't keep up."

It wasn't surprising that Simone and Aurora had become close friends; deep down, they both admired strength.

The difference was, for Aurora, men were tools for her ambitions.

For Simone, any man who couldn't impress her wasn't worth a second thought.

Aurora looked Simone in the eye. "So, what about now?"

in to save her, a smile

her a reminder. "Don't

"I know."

a little longer

an hour later, Simone's assistant brought

in the back garden and

note faded, Simone turned and asked,

violin music

lost

are some

strange tension knotted in Simone's chest.

her, unable to

vet

before played with a mastery even greater than Rachel's Right now, your playing doesn't even measure up

had always been the object of admiration, had never seen anyone

Give me a few days

Joshua agreed without hesitation.

with Joshua, Simone threw herself into relentless

even turned down invitations from Aurora-a

couldn't accept being

she couldn't get hold of Simone, Aurora decided

fingers,

one who hated pain? How did you let your hands end up like

her concern, stretching her sore fingers. "I want