The Broken King's Silent Obsession

e leather of the limousine seat was cold against Evita's back, but Stella's hand wa

e eyes tonight. You are pathetic. You are fragile. You

nning through her mind. She could see the pulse jumping in Stella's neck. The carotid artery was right there, exposed

kept it down. She wasn't Cipher tonight. She was Evita P

Stella commanded, givin

slowly. Her n

your father's campaign. You just sit there, smile, and let him be... friendly. If you make a

d New York air rushed in, carrying the scent of rain and

her look like a frightened deer. She felt Stella's nails pinch the soft

ll-shouting photographers, the slam of car doors, the low hum of a hundred conversat

dor of old money. Evita scanned the room in two seconds. Three exits. Six security

and to refuse, her movements jerky and uncoordinated. She saw the s

w and steering her toward a VIP booth in the far

heavy man, his suit straining against his midsection.

hed out, not for a handshake, but to grab Evita's wrist. His thumb

sea hit her, but she locked her knees to keep from pulli

ll asked, looking at Stella while his t

ound brittle. "She knows her place. She kn

liquid inside was a cloudy pink, garnished wit

k," h

harp, chemical sweetness cutting through the alcoho

grip on her wrist tightened,

leaned in, her breath hot against Evita's ear. "Drink it, Evita. Or I call Ch

as the only thing Evita pretended to care about to maintain he

, to spill the liquid onto the carpet, but O'Connell was faster than he looked. He

he growled. "D

loying and bitter. She tried to hold it in her cheeks, but he tilted her

gulp

smirk spreading across his face. He turned to S

fingertips began to tingle, a numbness spreading up her arms. Her visio

to mov

over her mouth, mak

missively. "Get her out of here. Clean

inting toward the grand staircase. "Second

r. She collided with a waiter, sending a tray of empty glasses crashing to

led herself up, past the guest levels, her breath coming in ragged

floor.

here, the carpet thick enough to swallow sound. The hallway stretched

, trying to use pain to anchor herself. It wasn't working. The heat

om the stairwell behind h

ll and stumbled down the corridor. A cleaning cart was parked ne

lights. She squeezed past the cart and slipped int

ock, her fingers feeli

a

essing against the cool wood. She clos

room move. She didn't see the pair of eyes, col