Shattered Ultimatum

His heart contracted so violently it felt as though the muscle would tear itself apart.

Every tendon in his frame drew tight, awareness settling in—he was probing her again, pushing against the limits of her patience to see where she would break.

"I won't!" Sloane's answer broke out before she could temper it. "Killian, I'm not the kind of woman who slaughters friendship on the altar of romance."