with heavy heat that trapped th

ald silk dress still drap

, its deep green colo

at 3:00 AM felt like a fever dream, but

air smelled of expensive coffee and something

efully vacuuming by the library d

oyer and the mahogany library floor, wa

of what had shattered in

at the breakfast bar,

tea, her fingers shaking s

ng thin. "Did you sleep okay? This house has

id, sliding onto the stool next

ch her eyes. They were red, as if

ed it over while looking for some papers. You

hing over. He moved deliberately. I looked back at t

thing heavy had bee

he now?"

e to leave for the fundraiser tonight." She squeezed my hand. "But he

s, Jane. He wants you to fe

like I belong," I q

strand of hair behind her ear. "Is that so bad? Wa

hadow. Just for tonight, try to be the girl who live

n't a

uldn

f Italian marble or emerald silk could make me forget the way he

in a daze. I avoided the l

l, I avoid

of a door, the sound of his car engine revving in the drivewa

had left in the box, my heart felt lik

r your father. He

the prison, it meant Richard was creating

wh

p me i

my fath

my mind like vultures, wa

the full-length mirror in my room, the emerald dress fit

cool and heavy

one side with a silver clip, and applied a dar

xpected my mother or Richard, ready to gi

ned the door t

button-down shirt with the sleeves rolle

face down to the hem of th

s in his gaze faltered, replace

k of indifference snapping back into place.

I admitted, my hand moving t

The girl you were woul

room, closing the

and pulled out a small velv

to find a pair

lear as ice, catching the light and c

hese, Edmund. T

his voice dropping to a low whisper. "R

ll think he bought th

or people he's trying to

are you doing this? You've spent every moment si

ing me your mo

wood and something sharp, like rain on as

brushing against my jawlin

g a shiver down my spine that

nsity. "If you're going into the lion's den, you should at

er that not everything

and, with surprising gentleness,

inst my earlobes, his bre

t any movement would shatter

nches from mine. "Now you look li

omentary softness disa

your

alread

with reckless precision, weaving through the North Shore's wi

he dashboard, thinking about the pho

, car-lined driveway of a mansion that made the Hale estate look

the night's silence rushed into the car. "My father

been following me since I turned sixteen. But lately, he

ee my

und said, finally turning to face me. "Rich

ght he

ded le

mething in the firm's past-some

into the house, Richard didn't j

ar suddenly felt

about i

of his heart?" Edmund let out a bitter laugh. "He bought your silence by buying your li

ling, the world was s

a kidnapping. My "scholarshi

lling me this n

eak you tonight," Edmund said, reachin

d steadying. "She kno

te you. If you know the truth-th

rld is to know the secrets bef

or. "Wipe your eyes. Put on that mask

verwhelmed

rosity overlooking the ocean, filled

loor, a heavy bass that fe

dka, chlorine from the indoor poo

rowd seemed to part. It wasn't just Edmund

rat" and the "Pri

ight of a hun

e room, standing with a gro

my appearance-the emerald dress, the diamonds, and the way

e," Edmund muttered

I whispered back, altho

wd, with Edmund playing the

ged brief, meaningless pleasan

r the first time, I didn't m

crowd moved toward the outdoor t

e cool night air, Jes

andage dress, her blonde hair sh

a venom that wealth

ing me completely. "I thought you sa

a party? That's a bit

heat rise from embarrassment, but I remembered Edmu

oice smooth. "She's my sister. Or hadn't you hear

urned her gaze to me, her eyes scan

ust be hard, Jane, wondering if your father will survive the

eone whispered "Prison?" and soon the word

for a moment, she didn'

erately trying to hold her

n silence. "At least he's honest about who he is. Can you say the same for your family, Jess

. She looked at Edmund, then back at

stigation-it was just a guess based on Ril

ecoiled told me I

you li

Edmund interrupte

ica. "The next time you speak to her, remember whose house

ith fierce pride. "I think we've ha

and and led me back through the house, pas

the Audi, the doors locking with

ifferent this time. It wasn't

he started the engine. "Her father isn't

ok," I said, leaning back against t

or a moment, his ex

my hand, tracing the line o

be careful, Jane. Once you start pla

driveway, I looked bac

, but I knew the war

in my ears, I realized I wasn't jus

hake the feeling that the most dangerous pe

ng my hand as if he were the onl