rpet. She ripped the hem of her silk dress-a sound like a scream

k at me. St

sed. She groaned, trying to pu

t leavi

d, grabbed Debra's wrist. Her grip was surpri

ket. Her fingers closed around cold metal. A c

g. "Behind the old greenhouse. Under

ey. "Protocol? What a

d. "She knew one day... the Vances would turn

you bleeding

ou stay, they win. They'll lock you in your room, or

en at the door. Then at the

but the Debra who was her mother's daughter wou

d. She leaned down and kissed Vicky'

ky breathed, c

maining larger shards of the ruby, wrapping them in a monogrammed ha

heels. Barefoot, she spr

he ballroom drifted up, a cheerful melo

g down into the darkness of the basement, landing in a pile of

memory. She used to play hide-and-seek

air hit her like a slap. Heavy clouds obscured the moon, and

er bare feet. She reached the old greenhouse, a rotting structure

usted, blue Ford F-150. It looked like a beast compa

mmed the key into the lock. It

melled of dust and her mother'

ed the i

Chug.

Debra plead

O

t, coughing blac

driveway. She drove straight over the flowerbe

ne of the old ones, a man named Henderson

houted, squinting

She couldn't. She

the gate. Wood splintered. Hen

was

oad. She watched the rearview mirror. The lights of the

ted in her chest and ripped its way out, a guttural sound of pure grief.

twenty minutes, the te

cash. No credit. No friends w

ickering in pink and blue

Neon

ace for bikers, rogues, and people who didn't want t

" Debra w

. It was filled with Harleys and muscle

as a rat's nest. Her dress was torn at

lack makeup further. She looked crazy. Or... she looked like

ress. She messed up her hair intentionally, making it

tion. "Tonight, you aren't the Alpha's

River-Run lowered his phone. He had wat

led a

ading toward town. No guards. She's a