around the cold brass of

ce cracked behind h

console table in the hallway, rushing to put himself between Ai

of pure, unadulterated disgust. He looked at him

executive authority. "You can't do this, Aidan. You can't brin

laugh. He let go of the call

ook a s

ing Brent backward until his shoulder blades slammed hard against

m Brent's. "Who said anything about

weat beaded on his forehead. "I... I don't know

the knot of Brent's silk tie and y

abric dug into his windpipe. His

th demonic fury. "That night it rained. You called me

rent's pupils dilated in sheer ter

y trying to pry those iron fingers off his throat. I

idan roared,

nic springing to his eyes. "No!

n fr

broken. "If I didn't tell you that, you never would h

chest. Every muscle in his body locked tight. A te

backward with ev

d into a heavy metal umbrella stand, knocking it over with a deafening cr

ly. His hands curled into fists so tight his f

s a traitor. Eight years of him believing she h

roat. It sounded insane. It echoed off the

g on the knot of his tie, loosening

time. The rage was gone, replaced

way. "Stay away from her," he said, his voice devo

lked toward his

allway hit his face. He pulled his pho

d, his voice dropping back to absolute zero. "Fin

d shut, sealing him in