brakes, tires screeching against the aspha

iver's door open and sp

nd, Vera let out a sharp gasp. June's face was completely devoid of co

hing June just as her knees gave out.

Vera's shoulder. A weak, bi

r than being in the

e's attempt to walk. She scooped her arm around June's waist a

to her own apartment. She slammed the car into gear and sped t

ripped the steering wheel, her knuckles wh

dangerously through the Manhattan traffic. "I'

st the cool leather seat

wave of pain washed over her,

year

ing glass. The rain washing the blood o

left. Her uncle, Richard Erickson, had shoved a stack of legal papers in h

apsed on the

. He knelt in the mud, handing her a white linen handkerchief that smelled o

r reason for living

nt, the memory fading into the ha

bled into the silence of the car. "I w

confused but too focu

's connections bypassed the waiting room e

mined the torn stitches. Hi

ctor snapped, looking at Vera. "Who did t

so tightly her nails dug into her own ski

d the wound. The pain medication finally kicked

era was sitting in a chair beside the be

iately poured a glass of warm

orce papers?" Vera as

and nodded. "Signed. I'm

re you insane? That's Compton money! You gave him four

were completely calm, devoid of the panic

June said quietly. "I just want

ce college-but she had watched June play the role of a submissive ho

"Do me a favor. Go to my old storage unit.

fused. "Your coll

brin

returned with a heavy,

he pressed the power button.

complex string of code into a black terminal wi

understand a single line of the code, but the sheer spee

n the wall of the VIP room

crophone into Cole's face as

bsent from the gala last night. Is ev

djusted his suit jacket, his face

" Cole lied smoothly to the camera. "She is

reen. The plastic shattered against the glass, lea

l bastard!"

oked at the cracked screen, her fingers

ce dropping to a deadly whisper. "H