ght of dawn filtering through the floor-to-ceiling

marble floor where he had left her. The ruined gown was stiff and cold against her skin.

prison of h

r back down with a groan. Her mouth tasted like copper. Her shoulder,

crisp suit, Giovanni's personal assistant, walke

ting his eyes from her state

oice was a dry rasp.

n early flight to Tokyo. He left instructio

left. He had done what he wanted t

llers on a low table, pointedly not helping her up. "Mr. Baldwin also instructed me to info

cold floor. He was cutting h

eyes finally meeting hers. "To refrain from any... unusual activi

activities," she whispered. It was

box down on the table next to the water. "Mr. Baldwin sends his apo

The words didn't ma

herself up. Her gaze fell on the velvet box. Inside was a diamond necklace, co

n her burner phone flashed in her mind. Code Red. The Nightingale contract. A family, a child of her own-the one smal

sting them in the ruined silk of her gown, her nails

ace as he held her down flashed in her mind. The cold satisfaction. The deliberate cruel

. The door to the study was slightly aj

h, feminine, and sickeningly familiar. He was on the phone, his tone

t to the ice he had shown Edith. "He's handling it. He said there will be no m

eezing her from the inside out. He knew. He had done this on purpose. Not just to hurt h

the hall. He hadn't even bot

al effects. The ruined white gown was inside, the red stain now d

up with notificatio

trembling hands, she retrieved the burner phone from its hidden compartment. She scrolled through the messages, h

er, her finger slip

brisk voice answered,

I'm calling about my

er voice cracking. "I'm he

silk supplier. It has Giovanni Baldwin's fingerprints all over it. He's acquiring smaller textile companies, and our s

h dropped. "Fr

the agreement, if payment is not received within twenty-four hours

mming into her again. "He can't do that. He's cornering us

ose are the rules. You hav

ne wen

room. Her body was broken. Her secret empire, the one thing that was tru

e, hollow-eyed, defeated. But deep in the depths of her own stare

the diamond necklace. It wa

Evans protested, jump

ver the side of the bed. Her knees buckled, but

e said, her voice

ition to leave. You

stic bag with her ruined dress and stumbled toward the bathro

e to turn to. But she had to get th

velvet-lined box in her pocket. The Patek Philippe watch. Her m

ain through her body. But her direction was clear. She was going to