's nose. The metallic smell of dried blood invade

up. His dark eyes, hidden beneath his messy hair, locked onto her. It was the

es. She squeezed so hard her fingernails dug into the hard plast

ed the whip and started swinging. S

ralyzed Julia. Cold sweat broke out across her back, soaking

nded. "Miss? Is it too dirty? I can

locked. He bit down on his lip, bracing

er vocal cords to work. She tilted her ch

d, her voice dripping with impatien

is hand hung awkw

ike surprise before it hardened back into a dark, impenetrable glare. She couldn't read the depths of his hatred, but she c

d visibly recoiled. "Can't you see I'm leaving? Who tol

g lost. "But... the boss said to

p a beat. She raised her voice, letting the

row him back in his hole

xchanged a nervous glance. They knew better than to

hoisted him up. Byron let out a suppressed gasp of agony. His rig

reality of his broken leg hit her hard

toward the basement stairs. A thick smear

. He looked at Julia one last time. There was no grati

erced right

itcases. She slumped against the marble pillar, gasping for air

the plot. She

he was critically injured. If he d

away from the blood. Surviv

ont doors, and stepped out into the blinding Los An

he Cayenne, heaving them into the

ition. The V8 engine roared to life, a deep, power

the cold air hit her sweat-dampened skin. She typed the addres

gas pedal. The SUV shot ou

w fast she drove, Byron's blood-soaked, staring face remained burned into her