sey

s violent black, stark aga

Rights. Asset Se

d pity behind his wire-rimmed glasses. He had served my fathe

this, you lose any claim to the Calloway estat

voice was steel. "I w

f the pen sounded like a s

ovese. She was the matriarch of a rival family, old enough

ike brittle dried twigs. "We heard about the Met. A tra

her a polite, hollow smile. "Bennett is j

d, her eyes darting around. "The

know the

arty at the penthouse. He called i

ited, but I

r-length black dress. I felt like

nd laughter. Bennett was in the center, holdi

ed like

sting on her stomach.

ad. Then, with a reverence that made

e that children were a liability, that my hips were too narrow, t

s. She raised her glass

s said:

n didn't change. He looked at me like I was a piece

ply turned h

y lungs. It wasn't jus

that had expired. He was using my loyalty to keep his

y parted for me, their eyes ave

in front o

oway family crest pin. He had given it to me on

it out

tt," I

pin, then at my

e said, waving his hand

e wouldn't even grant me

ay of half-eaten canapés

stairs. I went

s ago. A landscape of the Italian coast. It was t

and slashed the canvas.

memories unti

me. It was the head maid, M

he says anything you leave in the apar

rstand,

mb. A cold, heavy stone

ked out the window. Ben

ting hydrangeas. Alya was pointin

ing. He used to say

vered in mud, smiling at her w

courier arrived. He deli

e hallway, making s

k scarf. Her

for me in Paris for our fifth anniversary. I ha

And now he was g

neck. "Bennett said this is for the future mother

I said. My vo

thing, Kelsey. You couldn't keep a man, an

ing sn

. "You are a warm body for a cold man. When the novelt

he lunged at me, sh

pped over the rug and fell h

immediately. "Bennett,

e floor, clutching her st

rmed in fro

s. He didn't look at t

t me. "Get out of my h

. I wiped the blood with a handke

aving,"

door with nothing but

zzed. A tex

ett holding her, his f

inally happy.

. I felt the last thre

settings. D

M card into th

d in the emptin