ly

as a physical presence, a thick, woo

small of my back pressed

ignal of pain up my leg, a minor complaint

ing a cool surface, seemed to hu

an to vibrate through the chamber

cool air th

ike the breath of a kiln, be

gs felt suddenly

the hidden seam in my sundress, closing around

ot know, as my trembling fingers pressed the power button, that Sophie had found it three days ago while I slept. She had not taken it. She had simply dr

ad of the Lin family, and

poken of

an interloper, his ambition a hunger that coul

refused hi

the singular memory of him throwing his

t of performance, the blood o

fied into fact: Marcus had been killed-ta

ed, Dominic had moved to cons

antenna was a promise against the steel walls. I di

ns that, by law, could not be ignored, disp

oice I could barely hear through the static. It was a man's voice, but I could not make

g a Don's Command. Send a tactical unit to t

d spoke again, but the words were fractured, uninte

screen. The battery indicator flashed once-a si

voice on the other end had been my brother's most loyal captain, a man who would have m

ock of plastic fall

the corner of the cei

rcom was

kening air, a confection of sa

t really safe to leave

d clung to-that this was a matter of power, not passion-shattered. The 'fragile sister' was not

ied about her fra

owed, freighted with

Sophie," he repl

. Asking questions she had no right to ask." There was a pause, and when he spoke again

s next words were

tion will remind h

blurred my vision. I threw my head back and screa

too much!" I sobbed,

baby... it

ice a conspirator's whispe

her, Dom. It's

pause. Then, softer, almost inaudible: "When she's g

id-swing. I did not hear Dominic's response. I did not

thick with heat and malice.

mechanical click of a thermostat

he vents escal

rching, struck my face. The temperature in

r forming; the air was too dry. It simply leached the moist

floor, a single, instinctu

round my stomach, a

ed for

lutter, a shift,

a dense, terrif

sharp, unnatural cramp that sei

er's voice echoed from a memory I had tried to bury: 'That man will be the death of you, Vivian. And I wil

was no longer jus

g something lo

dark wetness sprea

And there was no on

I th

I hea

. From

e was

t