reath hitching in her thro

scle in her jaw pulsed with

hand already on the door latch. "Don

yn, w

street like a heat-seeking missile, her rag

impatience that seemed to reorganize the air around him. Lucien Hale. He wasn't w

into the phone, his voice a cold sca

hone down an

across from him and sat with

ew together. Evel

u?" he asked,

smile. "Now I get it. Ethan didn't become a wor

asses with deliberate, terrifying patience. "Ms. Carter, if you're havi

ybe you should get yourself checked first, Doctor. You spend enough ti

ed. "What the hell a

ow hum of the restaurant. "I've heard the stories. The doctor with no bound

just target him; it sp

and end her right there. But Evelyn kept going, her eyes burning with a primal rage that f

ice a venomous whisper. "Is that why you talk down to every

. He'd seen the scars, heard the whispers of the kennel, and watch

aring armor. It was the voice of someone who

? Guilt?-crossed his chest. Then,

said flatly. "And

were inches apart. "Turns out, you're dangerous. Stay away from Nora. If you

ne buzz

out breaking eye con

with panic. "He just called. He's threatening

m sitting right in

beat of st

s off. Two seats forward. The guy I'm supposed to meet... that's Roy La

ace so fast her vision went sharp

irt. Glasses. But he lacked the steel, the presence, the

Evelyn's ears

atched the realization hit

t, scanning the room, and spotted them. "Lucien!" he called out, dropping into the

ched across the hardwood floor. She

ce followed her, cool and

quared, her mask sliding back i

very line of her face. "You're just goi

d. "What do you wan

Lucien said.

e words out like a bit

idn't bl

use

accused a high-ranking surgeon of sexual misconduct in

ing uncomfortable. "Luci

ed at Evelyn like she was a surgic

s voice steady and inescapable. "

ere pretending not to look, but everyone was listening. Heat crawled up Evely

away. She could have

owed hard and turn

Deep. Clean

hrough the silent dining room, she sai

in his eyes-a spark of dark satisfaction. He had broken h

ed once

's arm as if pulling her from a wreckage. "I am so sorry!"

t," Lucien said, his gaze never lea

after them, his face twisted with entitlement. "Hey! Nora! What the

She lifted her chin, her voice trembling but clear. "I don't like you, Roy. I

You stupid b*tch-I'l

"Tell him. I'm done bein

nd marched t

low. "I've never seen you get that petty, Lucien

w for a long moment, watchi

aid, his voice deadpan, "a

miliate her like that. You know what people are

tightened. "S

hey treat her

turning. "And stop looking at me like I'm supposed

for certain: Evelyn Carter was no longer just a pati