Nathaniel’s roar crashed down like thunder, but I didn’t retreat.
The next second, though, when he saw Evangeline with blood all over her face, it was as if something inside him ignited—a kind of maddened, obsessive protectiveness.
“Stop!”
His voice ripped through the air.
He charged at me, his raised palm cutting through the air, as if he meant to slam me straight into the floor.
I could almost feel the heat of his hand, the murderous intent behind it.
This man had never treated me as his daughter. Every time he raised his hand, the force behind it made one thing clear to me—
He truly wanted to beat me to death.
Just as his hand was about to come down, Clara lunged forward and threw herself between us.
“Sir, you can’t hit her! If you injure Miss Aria, there’ll be no way to arrang
