And that's when Heidi knows: she's in deeper danger than she thought. If Daphne can sniff out one night of weakness, what will she smell if she ever catches the bond pulsing through her veins?
Her throat goes dry. Her pulse beats so loudly she's sure Daphne can hear it. She can't let this slip. She can't let anyone suspect that she might be fated to Darien… or worse, to more than one of the brothers. To all of them. That kind of truth could get her killed faster than any bullying and threats can.
So she lifts her chin, forces her voice to steady, and says, "You're reading too much into it. Things just… happened. Between a man and a woman. Alone in a house. That's all."
Daphne laughs. It's sharp, ringing, and full of disbelief, the kind of laugh that makes the air itself feel like it's taunting Heidi. She tips her head back, perfect hair spilling like a glossy curtain over one shoulder. "Oh, darling," she purrs, "did you really think of yourself as that important?"
