His Father Bought Me

“Noonelooksatyou.Noonetouchesyou.You’reaWhitehallnow...Andyou’remine.”Roman’svoicewasalow,dangerousgrowlagainstherneck.Shetiltedherchin,meetingthepredatorinhiseyeswithherowncoldfire.“Ibelongtonoone,Roman,certainlynotabeastinajersey.Ifyouwanttoclaimme,you’llhavetodobetterthanyourfather’ssignatureonacontract.”Shespunherwheelchairtoleave,buthewasfaster.Hishandlockedaroundherwaist,draggingherbackashispalmslammedagainstthewallbesideherhead.“Don’tyoufuckingdareme,Estelle.”—EstelleRutledgewastheIceQueenoftheRutledgesportsdynasty:nationaltreasure,globalbrand,andthefinancialbackboneofherfamily’sempire.Untilonecatastrophiccrackontheiceshatteredhercareer…andleftherinawheelchair.Intheeliteworldoftheonepercent,abrokenassetbecomesaliability.WiththeRutledgelegacycollapsingunderamountainofdebt,Estelle’sownmotherdidtheunthinkable.Shesoldherdaughtertothehighestbidder,tradingEstelle’sfreedomforacheckfromMagnusWhitehall,theruthlessbillionaireownerofaprofessionalhockeyempire.ButMagnusdidn’tbuyEstelleforhimself.Heboughthertobehisson’sleash.RomanWhitehallistheNHL’smostdangerousbeast.Avolatileheirwithascandal-soakedreputationandatemperthatthreatensthefamily’sbillions.Totheleague’sboard,he’saloosecannon.Tohisfather,he’saproblemthatneedsawifetocleanuphisimage.Thecommandwassimple:“Betheonethinghecan’tavoid…orloseyourlegs.”NowEstelleislegallyboundtoamanwhoseestheirmarriageasacage,andherasthebarsholdinghimin.Romanbelievesshe’safragileburden.Estellethinkshe’samonsterfueledbyrageandsecrets.ButinsidetheWhitehallmansion,builtonpower,money,andlies,Estellediscoversaterrifyingtruth:sheisnotthefirst“IceQueen”MagnusWhitehallhasbroken.Trappedindynastypoliticsandacontractsignedinblood,Estellefacesanimpossiblechoice.WillshelettheWhitehallsdestroywhat’sleftofher…orjoinforceswiththebeastshehatesmostandburntheirempiretotheground?Becauseeventhoughshehatesit,RomanWhitehallmaybetheonlymanwhocanhelpherstandagain.Evenifhehastobreakherfirst.