A pair of strong arms tightened around her waist, enfolding her in an embrace.
Her eyes, which she had clenched shut in fear, gradually opened, unexpectedly meeting Thomas Shannon's dark deep eyes.
His pupils held a gleam, sparkling like stars.
"Scared?" As he spoke, the corner of his lips lifted in a slight curve.
That half-smile, half-smirk—damn, he was devilishly charming!
Sophie Sullivan steadied her emotions and vehemently denied, "I'm not."
What a joke! Amelia Shaw was still watching. Could she admit her fear? No, she couldn't show weakness. Even if it killed her, she would never admit she had been terrified just now. Looking down at these seemingly endless flights of stairs, if she fell, it wouldn't just be her face; her entire body would likely fall apart. And even if her head wasn't addled to begin with, a fall like that would surely scramble her brains.
"Really not?" A hint of a smile touched Thomas Shannon's eyes.
