Chapter 96

The next morning, Marguerite wrestled her luggage out of her room, hoping to slip away before anyone awoke. Not anger, but something far more insidious fueled her haste. Sleep had evaded her the prior night. A torrent of rage had engulfed her initially, but as the hours bled into dawn, a sobering train of thought infiltrated the red mist.

What was the true source of her anger? Was it Jacob's self-serving motives, or the fact that he'd shoved the ugly truth in her face, shattering the fragile hope she'd built through denial?

The answer, a sudden flash of deep knowledge, hit her like a ton of bricks.

The anger she'd displayed had been a mere facade. A mask for the real emotion lurking beneath ~ fear. Fear of the feelings Jacob had unearthed, emotions that threatened to lead her down a dangerous path.

Shaken by the realization, her first instinct was to escape. A desperate flight before reason abandoned her entirely. Last night, she'd been swept away by his allure. How long could she re