ow she had managed to hail a cab back to the hotel. Her memory had completely fractured the moment she burst through the club's metal doors. No

royed her immune system. Her skin burned with a fever of 102 degr

e. She reached for the glass of water on the nightstand. Her hand trembled so

ack against the pillows. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Dominick Duncan's d

mooth, cool metal of the hairpin was absent. The confirmation sent a fresh wave of cold dread through her, a fe

the bedsheets. She found K

. "Alya? Oh my god, are you okay?

ed like crushed gravel. "He still has it. Do

u got out of there alive! Do you know what Dominick Duncan do

er fingers gripping the phone tig

r voice rising in panic. "I will buy you ten C

her, and she closed her eyes tight. "It's not about

ff and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. Her feet hit the floor, and her knees

e sink and looked in the mirror. She looked awful. Her skin was paper-white, h

eezing water onto her burning face. It did

bling hands fumbling with the lock before she pulled the heavy wooden door open. Phoe

ble and ran to the bathroom door. "You l

ebe popped two strong fever-reducing pills out of a

grabbed Phoebe's wrist before

voice weak but intense. "I need you to

idly. "Alya, no. That man is a ghost. His private residen

l the private investigator we used for the supply chain leak last y

ted to cry, but she nodded

roke the worst of the fever. Alya was

She held an iPad against her che

e whispered. She han

ge of a massive, sprawling property on the coast of

ty. It looked like a fortress. It looked like a prison. She knew going there

of the gold pi

up. Her legs were shaky, but they held h

ing a heavy, black trench coat off a