r Va

kind of sterile chill that settles de

he sky, overlooking a city that fe

Italian leather sofa where Julian used to lay his head on my la

crystal vase f

mother for our engage

ned m

t it

le floor, the sound sharp and

n't f

m and pulled a suitc

clothes. I was pa

us at the hospital w

ve me for keepi

taken off to wash my han

all into a

ment, creating a vacuum where hi

nt door

ive scotch and the cloying sweetness

when he saw the

asked, stepping over the shar

ty," I

then, his b

you d

id. "Just

ening his tie w

esurrection Gala is tonight. The entire Commiss

going,"

me, his presence loomi

ce, with hands that could crush a thro

ger. "You are my fiancée. If you don't show up, it looks l

d, meeting his gaze. "A pro

id, his fingers digging in

away from

in

a midnight blue silk that cover

ld in the ballr

amond chokers, the air thick with th

ering me through the crowd l

hands with the Capos, and e

as there,

ng neckline that showed off h

r the balcony, flanked by

te hat

who clawed her way into the dynasty by b

t me to ge

rd the balcony

Estelle blo

er uniform," Jeanette snee

er voice dripping with saccharine

aid, trying to

seems bored. He spent all morning

ow,"

nette said, stepping into my

ave, but Jeane

ked into the ba

," sh

ya

earing shrieked lou

ess ripped open f

ollowed by the collective gasp th

t the

eds o

keloids that coiled acros

f scar tissue that I ha

one whispered. "L

hide

d viscous, fl

g the front of my dress

e was s

what Julian has to wak

ed before I

appe

kening crack that s

back, her hand f

le sc

zy! She at

or, knocking over a table of dri

Estelle

rough the crowd, h

ette holdin

telle on

ith my dress ripped open, m

off his jacke

ask if I

oulder hitting mine hard

beside

" he asked, hi

ed into his chest. "She's jea

looked

ids, stripped of

t," he

spered. "She ri

oared. "Before I have

king her hair, whispering sooth

flapping against my burns, and