a P

night's storm. I found Leo in the kitchen, nursing a cup of coffee, his

id, his voice low and serious. "I don't car

"He won't. He's a good person, Leo. I can feel i

ien

oardroom on the top floor of a skysc

olio onto the polished mahogany table. It landed with a heavy thud that made a dozen high-pow

one breathed too loudly. They were all terrified of me,

kept people from wasting my time, and this morn

elligence, all I could think about was Aura Bonner standing in the rain with

Montgom

games and the elders' endless attempts to shove some polished bloodline bride into my be

y ringtone cut through

he idiot who forgot to silence their phone? Who was

hone wasn

sed for the life I let Aura see. Cheap case. Cracked corner. The kin

lowed on t

face cracked befo

ment of everyone in t

low, a stark contrast to the veno

and hesitant. "It's Aura. I was just calling to see... w

eless portfolio, the million-dollar disaster

g," I lied smoothly. "I can be

" she said, reli

soon," I sai

the last trace of her voice. Then I slid it back into my pock

announced to the stu

and terrified executives in my wake. Aura needed to be moved out of that house before h

a P

m door burst open. My mother Kennedy and Er

ger at my suitcases. "Are you really doing this? Are you runn

ning. "He's not a piece of

. "You threw away a future with Frankie Gl

ld like a piece of property," I sho

that door, Aura, you are no longer my daughter. We are

doorway, his face pa

eamed at him. "This is your f

ast, desperate hope that she might understand, that she m

othing left

ed Erin, she stuck out her foot, trying to trip me. I sidestepped her easily, my movements fluid w

out the front door, not looking back. The door

ng sun on my face. I took a deep, shudder

never fe

Damien got out. He walked towards me, his expres

e?" he asked, his voice l

weak smile. "No. It's fine.

othing and loaded them into the trunk. Then he walked around and opened the passenger

it was more kindness than I had re