money. She wanted what she had right here, right now.
 
 Something real.
 
 Maybe the only thing that was real.
 
 Adalynn shook her head. She reached back and pulled out
 
 the pins fastening her hair at her neck. She shook her head and
 
 a curtain of glorious raven hair fell over her shoulders. She
 
 raked her fingers through it. “I don’t know why I’m telling
 
 you this. You could do anything now that you know. Tell
 
 anyone. You could blackmail me with all my secrets.”
 
 A ripple of shock shot through Cassia. “Why would I ever
 
 do that?”
 
 “I don’t think you would. I’m just saying. I’ve been so
 
 careful. It’s not that I’m tired of being careful. I still don’t
 
 want anyone to know. I guess I do feel connected to you. I had
 
 to find you. I couldn’t leave it alone. I couldn’t just leave
 
 Vegas without seeing you again.” Adalynn’s expression
 
 hardened, her resolve creasing her brow.
 
 “Why?” Cassia could barely croak the word.
 
 She didn’t think that she was anything special. Not when a
 
 woman like Adalynn could have anyone. She could have her
 
 choice if she was discreet. She was older, gorgeous, with an
 
 otherworldly beauty. Despite everything she’d lived through,
 
 she still glowed with a radiant light that couldn’t be
 
 extinguished. She’d made the most of her life and that, no
 
 matter what anyone else thought or said, was admirable.
 
 “I asked myself that a thousand times,” Adalynn admitted.
 
 “While I was searching. I told myself to stop, to leave it alone.
 
 I guess the truth is that I saw you and I wanted you. You’re a
 
 fighter. You have this light that surrounds you. You’re
 
 innocent and sweet and I…maybe there was a part of me that