at the top of the Vaughan Gro

the massive circular mahogany table.

the table sat

ng, pale fingers pressing brutally hard i

weight crushing his skull. The chronic nerve damage felt like

e projector, his voice shaking as h

n's voice sounded like a d

ter glass in front of him. He slam

ter and sharp shards ex

n unison, pulling their h

, gravelly rasp, barely above a whisper, but it

He gathered his folders with trembling han

ive assistant, stepped forward fro

d wet wipe from a foil p

ingers, his face twisted in deep disgust at the

, a private encrypted phone beg

. The caller ID rea

up, towering over the table, and walked toward the

o answer. "

h the speaker, old but full of iron authority. "The girl

other wave of agony ripped through

fe. I want her found, and I want the engagement announc

a forced marriage. He hated being tied down. But his

ended the call and shoved th

Long Island. The Sanders hou

s face impassive.

h tinted windows rolled to a stop

stom-tailored suit jacket and walked u

ecause her credit card had just been decl

front door and yanked it open, ready to ye

died in

able suit, the expensive watch on his wrist,

htened her spine, smoothed her hair, and

nelia asked, her voic

ty still from that night-a blurry profile of a girl covered in ash and soot

his residence," Julian probed smoothly, his eyes narrowing sli

rt slammed aga

Eleanora had gone to that estate. Eleanora

he gold pin on Julian's lap

r veins. Eleanora was gone. Kick

would be me," she lied smoothly. "I'm the onl

ess enough to pass his initial scrutiny. He reached into his breast pock

ct. "On behalf of the Vaughan family, I am here to formally invite

ok as she reached out and took the envelop

ed, fighting to keep the

htly, turned around, and w

lutching the envelope to her che