he scratched coffee table. The thick paper

of the guest house, his breathing shallow and fast. He kep

illed with hot cocoa. She placed a gentle hand on

eramic. The heat seeped into her skin. It had bee

only wants a blood connection to the Lott family.

ed at her, his brow furrowed,

tella is adopted. Legally and biologically, I

ho initiates the cancellation with the Yates fam

lt them by breaking the contract, they

he room seemed to drop. "If the Yates family

was just acting tough. "Whatever ha

a sat alone by the drafty window. The cold wind bit at her cheeks.

g and pulled out a heavily modified, matte-black sm

in a thirty-two-character dynamic encryption

me was "K. Stone." An encrypted voic

o-earpiece into her e

oice came through, c

a whispered int

n is collapsing. They desperately need the Yates fam

That explained why Eleanor was

of mercy. "Sever the return channels for their

eyboard through the earpiece. Ten seconds late

I need Damian Yates's

"The Yates family's firewalls are military-grad

. She needed to strike before E

iding place. She looked at the mansion again, her eye

e wearing a simple grey tracksuit. The air was crisp.

e center of the stone path. Stella was wearing a silk robe, holding a cu

nearby gardeners to hear. "Still have the energy to run? You should be

didn't yell. She didn't look angry. She just looked at Stell

l space. She leaned down, her lips h

e a cold, lethal hiss. "I know Eleanor has been hiding something about your

face, leaving her looking like a corpse. The coffee cup in her hand

th shut about me, or I'll make sure every secret your pre

ring Stella's hyperventilating form,