Sweet PoisonChapter 1

The night Julian Thorne brought his adopted sister home, she padded to our bedroom door.

The white nightgown she was wearing was dangerously short. "Julian? I'm scared... I can't sleep alone."

Julian sighed, got out of our bed, and gently told me to go to sleep.

I sat alone in the dark for a long time.

Then I called a dozen male models from Ford and told them the party was at my house.

…

The music and laughter are what finally lured Julian from her room.

"Out."

His voice was quiet, but it sent an icy chill down everyone's spine.

The models scattered. The living room was suddenly empty, save for the two of us.

"What is this, Cassia?" Julian asked, his brow furrowed.

Behind him, Zoe was still wearing that ridiculous white lace thing, her hair loose, looking like a victim.

I leaned back on the sofa, crossed my legs, and sipped my champagne. "Your sister was scared. I just called some people to keep her company."

Zoe’s face went pale. "What do you think I am?"

I smiled, my voice sweet and sharp. "A shameless little tramp who hits on her own brother?"

Julian’s face went cold. "Cassia."

Zoe's eyes filled with tears, her body shaking with rage. "Who are you to talk? Everyone knows what you were! A slut! If it wasn't for our families' engagement, my brother would never have married a woman like you!"

"Zoe, that's enough!"

She recoiled, tears streaming. "You're yelling at me? For her? Didn't you hear how she insulted me? Fine! I'll leave! I'll just go!"

She made a dramatic, sobbing dash for the front door, the tiny nightgown practically falling off her.

Julian, exasperated, caught her, scooped her up, and carried her back to her room. When he returned, he looked exhausted.

"Go to bed, Cassia."

I just stared at him, cold.

"I'm tired," he said, rubbing his eyes. "I'm exhausted. Can we please not do this?"

"Did you hear what your sister called me?"

"Zoe's young, she says things she doesn't mean. I'll apologize on her behalf."

I laughed, a sharp, ugly sound. "She's not wrong. Our families are well-matched. A merger. An arranged marriage. And I was a party girl, Julian. I never had a shortage of men. Especially beautiful men."

His jaw tightened.

He crossed the room, pushed me back against the sofa, and gave me a hard, punishing kiss. His voice was a low growl. "Cassia, need I remind you that you are my wife?"

I smiled, but my eyes were burning. "And need I remind you who it was that dragged me out of clubs, night after night? Who insisted on being my 'fiancé' when I didn't want one? Who was it that begged and pleaded to marry me?"

He softened, resting his forehead against mine. "It was me. It was always me."

I pushed him away. "Julian," I said, my voice flat, "it's her or me. Tomorrow, she's gone."

I slammed the bedroom door.

The next morning, Zoe was at the breakfast table, wearing Julian's shirt, happily greeting me.

"Hi, 'sister!' Good morning!"

I froze.

The bottom dropped out of my world.