ger came eas

ent, tense, watchful. Every hushed conversation between s

was still

ew for certain sh

reception corridor when a fa

iate with legal teams.

ulse

t v

slowly, almost afraid to c

al. Older than she remembered, sharper around the edges but

es fou

rey

een them colla

cas

mself quietly, le

im," Lucas said, not

my choice,"

as if weighing the t

ok exha

a

t near enough that the familiarity unse

about your sister," he said. "

r," she answered softly.

regret cros

she dis

Mireya said quickly.

xpression

ot a smal

kno

afe here?"

inctively. "Ronan would

gaze. "That's n

respond, the ma

, a bruise shadowing his cheekbone. His

gnit

hosti

s uninvited," Ro

Ronan," Lucas

my home witho

to see

briefly before returning to

n't pro

is my

ghtened be

ireya sai

man look

this marriage

rned lethal. "Choose

ireya cut in quickly. "Tempor

er. "You deserve more than bei

orfeited whatever claim you t

appear because distance

like rivalry and more

ere to start a war. I'm here because yo

est ti

" she ask

in the middle o

t thinned. "You'

laced a business card o

f you need someone

ed besi

said quietly. "They're destabilizing your leg

he

behind him, sea

ved his co

love him,

er sai

dn't ha

on't get to interrogate my pas

erestimate how deeply your p

e?" she ask

ou

hung betw

he had revealed. His compos

he said, turning

alone in the hall, her em

e his car, staring at the Ashcroft

otel, sir?" hi

N

ut his phon

elligence on Veltran

th Ashcroft operatio

ained fixed on t

" he

something far

all e

r around Mireya gai