ing on her back, staring at the ceiling, letting the warmth soak into her skin. This was her third day of waking up nat

hime of the doorbell ec

followed immediately by the heavy, aggressive

n, slamming against the w

is face was flushed red, the veins in h

Daren snarled, his eyes sweeping

swung her legs over the edge of the bed, walked over to her vanity, and sat dow

through the mirr

stood right behind her, his chest heaving. "We nee

er scalp in a steady, rhythmic motion. She treated him like a pi

ver the edge. He reached out and snat

!" he barked, spit

mperature in the room seemed to drop ten degrees. She turned around in the

voice wasn't loud, but it cut th

use his physical size to intimidate her. "You're Doretta's spy. She planted you here to keep

f I were a spy, Daren, would I be this o

home-the bastard son from a secret first marriage. She had his real mother murdered, and she's never stopped hunting him. Do you seriously exp

orter than Daren, but she didn't st

said, her voice droppin

t it! You report eve

ar

ay. It was quiet, but it hit

nct, and the silver hairbrush clattered

ark, tailored suit, his posture rigid. His da

ren started, his voice suddenly f

n't look at his brother. He walked straight

the silver hairbrush, and placed it gently on the vanity table. T

spy on you! She's been trying to finish what she started with yo

tta's spy, I would've played the perfect

ace, analyzing the micro-expressions, looking fo

toward his brother. He raise

t A

voice was absolute. There

s shook, but he didn't dare defy Arch. He shot Constance a look of pure hatred,

into a suffo

e expected Arch to interrogate her, to dem

His index finger tapped

" Arch said, his voice completely f

en, a thought sparked in her mind. A family dinner. All the Fergusons in one room. Doretta, the stepmoth

e the perf

was a beautiful smile, but it didn't reach her eyes.

she said

owed slightly. He turned to leave, but p

ch said. "We're g