(An excerpt from an upcoming chapter.)
The Duke puts his arm on his waist, deliberately touching his belt. Mary bristles and lowers her gaze, focusing on the keys under her fingertips.
"Unfortunately," she says unable to look her tormentor in the eye, "Threats aren't enough to change the facts of the universe: the sky will still be blue, the Sun will still be round, and I will still be unable to play the piano."
















