the hospital. The private recovery villa on the outskir

nd stepped inside. He expected to find Co

dy drifted from the corn

o. She wore a floor-length white silk nightgown. Her bare feet barely touched the

Steinway he had bought

ing Chopin's Nocturne. It was the song she use

Alistair's throat, pull

d through the room an

ears spilled over her lower lash

, her voice trembling. "D

bbed. He swallowed hard. H

nt on the Persian rug. She stopped inches from his chest. Sh

er gaze

he reached up. Her index finger traced the edge of his

ish-purple bruise Eleanor

ther, but it felt like a needle

eyes, followed instantly by a dark shadow of jealousy. She blinked

oice cracked. "She mu

eight. A sudden, violent wave of suffocation gri

nce between them. He reached up and adjusted his left c

aid. His voice was rough, almo

She stood perfectly still, her

d toward the door, she spoke. Her voi

wait f

the front door of the Mont

a single lamp glowing in the main living room. He unbuttoned his suit ja

fro

earing the beige dress from this morning. A cup of unto

idn't cry. She walked slowly toward

himself for the screaming, for the tears

exactly one st

hed her

ed slightly, ex

t jacket. She smoothed the fabric, brushing away an invisible

ed in, her nose

hit her

y musk. It was cold, expensive, and aggressively territorial. It was clinging

hand stopp

d looked directly into

on the back of his neck. The absolute

oice faltering. He didn't even

nish. She pulled her hand

of her lips. It didn't reach her eyes. It

Alistair," sh

rand staircase. Her spine was perfect

The silence of the house pressed in

eeve. He lifted his wris

ea and musk

uation. But Eleanor's calm, mocking smile had just ripped the floor

edroom, but Eleanor wasn't there. She had mov

eiling. For the first time in five years, the absence of Eleanor's bo

sleep a si