ie

o the party, I had becom

ere awake. I moved

was alre

PM on the night of t

c jus

their future, I woul

my clothes when there wa

ought me

eyes avoiding the open suitcas

he sweetness exp

ike Italy.

rd voices i

his voice low but carrying through the cracked door. "Bought

fr

ranged my lif

. I thought I had ea

o

rings. Even from

ent. I was just o

d my veins, burning away th

spect me. He

sound was harsh, final-l

time

suitcase into

ere th

ect ta

us.

ear the stairs, dres

tely wrapped her arm around Mar

mewhere?"

eyes flicked to the suitc

aving,"

his brow furrowing. "

ersonal matter

d of that, considering my heart

ers?" Marcus s

ghtened

he's a big girl. She n

at me. A sh

ed at

hielding me from t

shelter of another woman

us,"

pau

nothing. I owe you for the food an

n his eyes. Surpr

. His hand hov

ll

t," I

my back

down th

en. It was raining ag

lked

't loo

I might turn int

the taxi I

airport,

atched the Thorn estate shr

like a m

the airport.

d at t

ure: F

t the cloc

ty was

u were my shelter. No

ded th

the aisle and

es roared

ne acce

y chest, pushing me into the

ifte

id of lights. Somewhere down the

sed m

m f

y beli

st a different kind of cage. And

the one I had scheduled to send th

this was

nly the