Zoe like a ph

d a curtain of aggressive, swirling ice. The wind howled down 57th Street, tunnel

, soaked from Jade's "accident," began to freeze almost instantly. The wet cashmere turned into a

fingers were red and stiff, b

cars av

t time 55

d by, their "Off Duty" lights glowing like mocking eyes in the gloom. They d

ered, the wind snat

or better luck on Park Avenue. A gust of wi

ch of black ice hidden b

nt dow

d. Pain exploded in her right ankle-a sharp, wh

ed out, clutc

to bear even an ounce of weight. She collapsed back into the s

ichest streets in the world, and felt utterly, comple

was going to be a headline in tomorrow's Po

headlights cut throu

leek black beast. It wasn't a taxi. It was a Maybach, enti

oe shrank back, fear spiking. She

of her. The back window rolled

peared in

pped br

. Dark hair, eyes that looked like shattered obsidian

n Ste

egitimate son. The "Black Sh

s about Julian for years-how he was twisted, jealous

ing over her wet coat, her twisted ankle, her tear-streaked face.

as deep, resonant, barely rais

chattering so hard she could

supreme arrogance. "You're sitting in a slus

a cab," she lied,

clared a state of emergency. Roads are closing. You want to

a handful of ice pellets into Zoe's face. She gasped,

m interior of the car. Then

uxury she cou

she wh

oor opened. A large man in a suit stepped out, marched over, and offered

d onto the l

d shut, sealing

instantly replaced by the smell of expensive leather and a f

sing a button to roll the window back up. He d

coat touch the pristine upholstery. She was shiveri

eached to his side. He grabbed a folded cas

squarely i

at him. "Thank you,"

didn't

ped it around herself, burying her face in the fabric. It

n to move. S

" Zoe asked, her voice raspy.

k pools, unreadable. "Not happening. The West S

n wh

said. "It's thr

oe's chest. "I ca

a happy sound. "Liam left you on the sidewalk

er harder than the cold. She sa

nd garage. The massive steel gate rattled upward, then clanged

with the one person she