, leaving Elena alone in the damp darkness. She stood up,

outh of the alley until one bar of service flickered i

k," Elena said, her voice

ckground noise of a TV show cut out. "What's wr

encer. He's engaged to

pure, unadulterated rage. "I am going to kill him. I am going t

in. Back

nutes away. If anyone t

und herself to stop the shivering. It wasn't just the cold; it was the

f the restauran

rom prep school. Chad was wearing a tuxedo with the tie undone, a cigarette

Chad took a drag, blowing

hell,

ook, don't be too hard on the guy. Spencer's jus

" Elena spat. "He

dy says no to fifty million dollars, swe

are for optics, girlfriends are for fun. You should be flattered. He r

poor

y case. A temporary diversion from their incestuous pool of wealth. She had thou

it in, reading books on etiquette, buying clothes she couldn't afford,

y from h

Chad, shoving his friend aside. Spenc

aining the facts of life," Cha

ed. Chad rolled his eyes but re

mother... she cut my cards. She threatened

ays a choice,

s voice took on a wheedling, manipulative tone. "You're being sel

shouted. "Who sent the text, Sp

linked. "

the address. The one t

dn't send that. I thought you...

laugh. She shoved her phone screen in

. He looked up, past Elena, toward the

," he w

a tu

ueen surveying a pigsty, was Victoria Kensington. She held a glass of whi

cli

stigated-to lure Elena here. She knew Spencer wouldn't end it. She knew he would try to keep Elena on the

ena whispered. "She

ling. He looked up at his mother with terrified eyes.

for Elena. For himse

marry. He looked small. Weak. A boy in a man's sui

vaporated. It was replaced by

ncer had given her for her birthday. It was a mass-produced piece f

," sh

im. She dropped it into

the rim of the dumpster, hor

sh," s

Harper's beat-up red Jeep Wrangler screeched to a halt, hopping the cur

across the passenger seat to throw the d

itate. She jumpe

staring into a dumpster for a n

he shouted, b

rshift into reverse. T

She saw Spencer shrinking into the distance. But above him, on the

tared at the dashboard, feeling the vibrations of the eng