door beeped as Carlyle engag

hand still white-knuckl

nto the cushion and w

ked as he poured a genero

is

ged. Ex

ss up to the li

ffered, not l

x hesi

yed wires sparking

g to dull the sharp

se. It stood there like

ked to

es

ured a sec

cross the ma

ached

r grazed the si

hed. He would have wiped his

did

dropping to where

cond longer than necessary b

glass and downe

bur

t distracted her from

-ceiling window, looking out a

ed, keeping a

e only sound the hum of the refrigerator

ix next week," Carl

et, stripped of i

out a shor

d you remembe

head slowly

r of something unr

six," he

sed three

issed them; he h

k older,

't a co

ges a person in dog

eyebrows

e noted, turning fully to fac

lize I don't need t

hat r

a step t

ed in the lobby," he said, changi

from the papara

he corrected. "Some of them lost everything.

at had nothing to do wi

thing to g

money, Beatrix.

ning armor?" she mocked. "Pr

s jaw ti

e that she sa

w he had actually assigned

ng my assets,

est of his whis

t the table

ice dropping to a cruel register. "I'm going to h

rix

hy

e," he said, watching her closel

he blood drain

t b

ith a custom mattress she

this cold, glass box wher

middle of that vast expanse, hugging a pillow, p

he loved

and-dollar mattre

rash,"

rying to

ction because she had been

et her gl

give him the

chin. "Throw it out. It was to

traight to

s eyes n

she wa

ed in and seen her sleeping on it, loo

ough gritted teeth.

to sleep,"

heel and walked

n't loo

leaned against it, let

, Carlyle stared a

he spot where

gut, a mix of anger and some

d out hi

ssistant: Don't touch the f

the screen

ered over the

e dele

o the sofa and poured