The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

However...

Joshua glanced discreetly at Stella. She hadn't grown up in his world; she had an aversion to violence. Just killing Leonard seemed anticlimactic. Perhaps it would be more interesting to keep him alive and torment him slowly.

As he packed, his mind churned with plans for the future. When he reached for one of the bags, his fingers brushed against something unexpected.

He pulled the contents out, his eyebrows raised in surprise. "What... is this?"

Hearing his voice, Stella turned and saw him holding two unusually shaped candles.

She froze. The next second, her face went scarlet. She suddenly remembered the shopkeeper's lecherous grin when she'd bought the supplies. After she paid, he'd even told her, "If they work well, come back for more. I'll give you a discount." At the time, she hadn't understood what he meant. Now it was painfully clear he'd thrown in a couple of "gifts."

One look at the candles was enough to know they weren't for illumination. They

were...

his hand and shoved them back into the bag. But in her haste,

Rope. Handcuffs.

the bizarrely shaped candles, the collection painted a vivid and

change. She wanted to explain, but where would she even begin? After all, she *had* bought those things

from the floor, her expression carefully neutral. "Everything's packed.

at her heels. Even as she hurried down the hall, she could feel his intense, penetrating gaze fixed

didn't ask any questions or mention what had just happened, and Stella

the tool shop from before. The owner was outside, chatting with a neighbor. He saw Stella and Joshua, did a double-take, and then his eyes tanded on the bandage still wrapped around Joshua's head.

of pure shock crossed his face. "Whoa, that intense,

still confused, just

a sleazy chuckle. "So, miss,