room floor in gray and white. Eleanor hadn't slept. She had sat on t

d from the hallway outside, followed

hospital was stronger now, a cloying scent of antise

d the trash can, which she hadn't bothered to hide. A flicker

e sat. He cleared his throat, his voice

an. "But the doctors still want a ba

ed at the intricate pattern on the P

ing. He clearly thought she was still

sounding forced. "Tonight, at the

d looked at him, really looked at the man she had loved

his advantage. "On one condition. You go to the hospital right

breathtaking. A low, soft laugh escaped her

Julian demanded,

otested the movement, stiff from the long night.

s perfectly steady. She took a sip, t

changed my mind," she said, her voi

This was not part of his script. This

iage anymore," she continued, her voic

n the air betwe

ng into pinpricks of fury. In two long strides, he was in front o

ar," he snarled, his face inch

look of pure, unadulterated contempt. "I find you

r. He released her so sudde

s is about money, isn't it? You think threate

a pen. He scribbled a number-a lot of zeros-and tore th

h disdain. "But you're giving the blood. A

as an insult of such magnitude that it burned away the last

icked

t, he looke

t in half. And t

from her fingers into the

empty of everything but reso

t o

er voice, seemed to finally get through

ret this,"

ess than twelve hours, he sl