Page 13 of A Dangerous Proposal

Madison Amherst.

Alex was moving toward her before he thought about it. He noted the group of teenagers hurrying away, but his focus was on Madison.

She had to be freezing. Why the fuck was she out in this weather without a coat?

He caught the look of utter hopelessness on her face before it flashed with recognition... and for a split second he could have sworn he saw relief.

After their brief encounter weeks earlier, Alex had done something he’d never done with a woman before. He’d looked into her.

It hadn’t taken long to uncover the details. Madison Amherst: podcaster, guardian to her late sister’s child, embroiled in a messy custody battle. A woman with far too many attachments and a complicated life that he didn’t need to get involved with.

He’d told himself to forget her. Let it go. Walk away.

But here she was again, practically delivered right into his hands.

The universe clearly had other plans.

Maybe he wasn’t quite finished with his angel after all.

“Angel.” He stopped only inches away, but she didn’t move back.

An unpleasant feeling spread through his chest as he scanned over her. She was soaked through, her skin pale with cold, thick wet clumps of hair clinging to her cheeks. Circles so dark they looked like bruises sat under her spectacular eyes, and her lip trembled slightly when she forced a smile.

This was not the same woman he’d met before, and that made him angry.

What happened?

“Charming,we meet again.” Her voice was overly cheerful, and his frown darkened.

“What’s wrong?”

She blinked rapidly up at him as the small human in her arms twisted around, a tiny fist shoved in its mouth. Huge blue eyes, red-rimmed and glassy, peered at him curiously, but the child never stopped chewing on its fist.

Her nephew, he assumed.

“Tell me what happened?” The words came out sharper than he’d intended.

To his horror, her eyes flooded with tears, and Alex had the sudden irrational need to hurt someone.

“Life.” Madison let out a watery chuckle before wiping at the lone tear that escaped from the corner of her eye. Blinking rapidly, she straightened her spine. “Sorry. Just a bad day.”

“What’s. Wrong?” he repeated, his voice gravelly.

Madison stared for another moment before blowing out another laugh that sounded dangerously close to a sob. His chest tightened with an unfamiliar emotion.

“Trust me, you don’t want to know, and neither one of us has the time for all of it.” She brushed her wet hair back and tucked it behind her ears.

Alex clenched his teeth. He wasn’t used to having to ask more than once. “Then give me the short version before you get hypothermia.”

A shudder wracked her body, and Alex shrugged out of his coat, placing it over her shoulders. He wasn’t the least bit surprised when she automatically protested.

“What are you doing?” She gaped at him.

“You’re shivering.”

“I’m fine,” she protested, as Alex placed his hands on her shoulders to keep the wool fabric on her. He knew he shouldn’t touch her, but she was taking off that coat over his dead body.

“You aren’t, and neither is he.”

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