um of silence and leather. The tinted windows tur

slid up with a soft whir. He picked up a tablet, his thumb scrolling through a document. He looked co

ckles were white. The adrenaline was fading, leaving behind a cold, shaking clarity. She h

tion. She couldn't just be a

a of speaking, of forcing sound past the lock in her throat, was n

oss the screen. She opened a notes app and typed

d a h

e, stark. She held t

ook up immediately. He finished reading the paragraph,

e said. One

She laid out the information she had memorized from the encrypted board

e is holding out to force a marriage alliance. I know where she hide

n unchanging. Then he looked at Gracelyn. There was a

he said, handing the phone back

ch dropped. She

apped around her again. "However," he said softly, "I do need a wife.

ece of real estate. "You're quiet. You're desperate. And

partition. "

ed, making a

e skyrocketed.

to mouth, but th

said, returning to his tablet. "You

s humming. Marcus was already there, standing beside a severe-looking woman with a briefcase. There was no

n's thin soles. It was the least romantic moment of her life, and yet, when Constantine took her hand to slide a pl

voice was steady. A

red, the sound swallowe

celyn Montgomery-Durham. Th

the tarmac. The night air

g. He turned away from Gracelyn, taking a few steps

was

as talking to the pilot. Th

d the paper. The certificate was her shield against

e crouched down. Then, using the cov

oved fast, keeping her head down. Gracelyn reached into her bag and clicked the button o

above the entrance

sprinted in her stocking feet, the cold grit of the tarmac biting into her soles. She sli

onstantine ended the

beside him

she's gone. The came

aw the high heels abandoned on the pavement. He walked over and picke

ry. The corner of

e block?" Marcus asked

ack of the car. "Let her run. She thinks that piece o

the dashboard. A red dot was blinking on th

ne said calmly. "Pick her up at C