As her twin, perhaps she could feel the way his whole body went cold, but as someone simply sharing the same room, all warmth fell away. His eyes darkened, the storm inside them raging now with the threats of pure hellfire.

Alec held up his hand to silence her.

“I must have mistaken what you just said, Sister, because certainly you would never agree to marry any man without our father’s approval, and any man worth you would know better than to enter an engagement without the blessing of your family.” He took a step forward to damn near tower over her so that he could lower his voice and whisper.

“Unless you have been a harlot and now carry a bastard inside you, there is no reason to be so quick to set my list aside.”