e first step of the staircase when Ju

und together, sending a sharp spike of pain up

down the hallway, his strides long and furious. He shoved her through t

led the picture fr

eld sofa. She scrambled to her feet instantly, rubbing her throbbing wrist. She glared

gany desk. He reached for his humidor, grabbed

desk, taking a deep breath to force his

ntrolled. "But I hid it because I knew you would react exact

ut a harsh, in

led out her phone. She pulled up the screenshot Slo

k and slammed the phone d

Julian Sinclair. Jax Mercer's name isn't anywhere on that lis

His pupils contracted. The physical proo

ned from his face as he realiz

locking onto hers. He played hi

whisper. "My legs were pinned in that wreckage. She threw herself over me. Sh

e desk, closing the

rity. "Her husband beat her. She is suicidal. That necklace was a toy.

The emotional manipulation was s

age to pay the price?" she asked,

the shoulders. His fin

desperate, manic sincerity. "She is my sister. Nothing more. But you

n his face. He truly believed his own twisted logic. He believed

ith him w

lating realization in her eyes. She forced her rigid s

ered softly. "I won't ask

udden submission th

his face. The tension drained from his body

sing a kiss to her crown. "Thank you

o tight fists at her sides. She stared blankly at the grey sky outsi

ring of Julian's private cell

from his pocket. He glanced at the scr

button. He looked at Eleon

eeting call from the Londo

r. She saw the microscopic twitch

red her hands b

said, her voic

d walked out onto the study's private balcony

eavy door completely shut, leaving a half-inch sliver of open air. "...Seraphina... don't cry..

d holding Eleonora's h

gh. She hated herself for almost

. He slid the door open

ora, I'm sorry. The London team needs me to sign off

lowed out. She didn't have t

't forget your coat," s

second, sensing the unnatural calm. But the urge

off the chair and practical

r click

eather sofa. She clamped her hands over her mouth,

flat stomach. The tiny flutter of life insi

rdened into dark, cold stones.

Eleonora knew him intimately. She knew his one hidden vulnerability. She pulled open the bottom right drawer, reaching for the vintage leather-bound copy of 'The Great Gatsby' he kept ther

il client. She clicked on

stopped on an email sent from t

boarding Confirmation

. Her eyes scanned the tex

ally hired. Her titl

to be Eleonora

dy shook with a violent, consuming rage. The w