floor, then at the blood beading on his

devoid of any emotion she recognized. It was t

ut this?" he aske

ack ramrod straight. She didn't

g happens to Seraphina," he said, the words c

hest, but she just lifted her chi

e leather shoe grinding shards of glass into th

from the sofa, the fabr

choing through the cavernous apartment. A moment la

s gave out, and she slid down the side of the marble

ng clap of thunder. Eleanor cried out, a small, choked soun

the marble seeping into her clothes. Julian's icy

a low grumble. Eleanor used the cabinet to

ad cooled, the fat congealing into a pale, unappetizi

he entire meal, plates and all, into the bin. The clatter

pers Julian kept by the door and, one by one, k

he spray without waiting for it to warm up. The cold water was a shock, a pu

d into the living room. His phone, he'd left it on

otification. A push alert

CEO in Late-Nig

mbled as she t

was unmistakable: the entrance of Mayfair Private Hospital. Rain w

st his body, was a woman. Her face was p

aph

ive heir to the Sterling fortune was maki

d at the hand Julian used to shield Seraphina's

t his pale skin, was the fresh,

nd so violently it choked her.

r mouth. She barely made it to the toilet before she wa

Only sour, bitter bile that burned her thro

e the sink. Her face was ashen, her eyes wide and haunted. The

he stared at the stranger in the mirror, a decision formed in th