vate judge's office smelled

transporting a high-risk inmate. Her father, a man who had spent his life shrinking unde

he reached into her purse and pulled out a tube

dug into the soft flesh. Alessandra tried t

the lipstick across Alessandra's mouth. It was too

and turned to check her ow

ross her lips. The pigment smeared across her cheek, ruining the perfecti

oak door s

shifted. It became

Mercado

that cost more than the Winters' current liquidity. He di

h glasses-Cohen, his executive ass

Alessandra's parents. He scanned the room, looking for some

s small, drowning in an oversized grey coat, with smeared red lipstick on her

down to Cohen

le. He swallowed hard. "Boss... that's Ales

n went

sn't disappointment. It was rage. Cold, calculate

ghter," Florian said. His

r said, sweating. "The contract stipu

she was a defective product he had been tricked into buyi

ge license waited. He picked up the pen. He

ay, the ledger-the evidence he needed t

as trembling, but her eyes were dry. She

name. The nib of the pen tore t

up and held th

moved to the table. Her hand shook so badly she cou

e a noise o

used. He wrapped his fingers around her small, cold

n, covering her hand with his, he gu

him. She could smell sandalwood and

and across the l

signature. I

rned him. He leaned in close, his lips brushing

o hell, Mi

el and walked out w

t Cohen. "Take her to The Obsidia