The crowd parted like the Red Sea before Moses. +
Harding Snow strode through the gap, flanked by Alex Stone and four massive men in black tactical suits. The gold rims of Harding's glasses caught the light of the chandeliers, flashing with a deadly, icy glare. The ‘ambient temperature in the room plummeted.
He didn't even glance at Connor, who was still bleeding and shiveringin the puddie of vodka.
Harding walked straight to Anissa. He reached out and gently took her ight hand the hand she had just used to strike Connor
He tumed her palm upward. He frowned, his dark eyebrows pulling together as he inspected the angry red skin
"Does your hand hurt?" Harding asked. His voice was a low, intimate rumble, completely ignoringthe hundreds of people watching them. The tone was laced with a dark, possessive tendemess.
The crowd sucked in a collective breath. He wasn't angry that she had caused a scene. He was angry that hitting his n ephew had bruised her skin,
Anissa looked up at him momentarily disarmed by the raw heat in his eyes. She shook her head. ‘It doesn hurt It just feels... dirty."
Harding reached into the breast pocket of his tuxedo. He pulled out a square of pristinewhite silk. With slow, meticulous movements, he wiped her palm and each of her fingers, as if cleaning away a toxic substance. When he was finished, he didn't put the handkerchiefback. He let it drop from his fingers.
The silk square fluttered down and landed directly on Connor'sface. Connorlet out a muffled sound of pure humiliation He snatched the silk off his face, his hands shaking violently. He looked up, his eyes buming with tears of rage.
“Uncle,' Connor choked out, his voice trembling.
Harding finally looked down at him His eyes were devoid of any human warmth. “You will apologize to your Aunt for your vulgar behavior, Now." Connorsjaw locked. The veins in hisneck bulged. He stared at Anissa's cold face. He would rather swallow broken glass than bow to her. He remained stubbornly silent.
N nu
oi $# +120 Points at most Harding didn't raise his voice. He didn't r epeat the demand. He simply turned his head slightly toward his head of security.
“Alex,” Harding said softly . "Break his legs and throw himout."
The casual, businesslike tone of the order sent a shockwave of terror throughthe room.
Two of the massive bodyguards instantly st epped forward. They grabbed Connor by the armpits and hauled him to his feet, ignoringhis panickedstruggles.
“No! Wait!*
Beatrice burst from the crowd, having run back when she heard the commotion. She threw herself onto the marble floor, landing hard on her knees right at Harding's feet. Her makeup was smeared, her dignity completely gone.
“Please, Harding! Please!" Beatrice sobbed hysterically, clawing at the hem of his trousers. "He's just drunk He doesn't know what he's doing Have mercy, he's your own blood!”
Harding looked down at his sister-in-law. His expression was carved from granite. "The Snow family has no use for rabid dogs that cannot control their temper,”
‘Anissa watched the pathetic scene. Her heart felt nothingbut the cold, satisfying thrill of absolute vengeance.