p on the outskirts of town. A CVS pharmacy, its re

ia said, her voice still weak but

crisp, gold-embossed business card. "If you ever need a

d weight in her hand. She gave him a brief nod and stepped ou

pocket of her dress when the screech o

cutting off a city bus. The passenger door flew open

grabbed her wrist, his fingers digging into the flesh like

twisting in his grip, but it

with a venom that chilled her more than the rain had. "Does

the SUV, his pace br

umbling to keep up with him.

, pulled open the back door, and half-threw, half-shove

ith suffocating menace. He slammed the door shut. "Drive," h

r of Wyatt's business card peeking out of her pocket. With a swift, savage movement, he

him, her fear giving way to a cold, hard contempt. He w

opped in front of an elegant lim

f the car and up the steps, his grip on her arm relentless. He threw open

an afternoon tea. Four of Manhattan's most prominent socialites sat on silk-upholstered chairs,

he center of the room. She stumb

nnounced to the stunned audience

ask of pure rage and humiliation. To be embarrassed like

their hands, their eyes darting between

arched over to Aria. "How dare you," she hissed, her voice tr

photo of Veronica on the mantelpiece. "Kneel," s

er stepmother, at the circle of gossiping women, at the man who had

said, her voice

y a need to reassert her authority, she drew

gly, a crack that sile

orce of the blow. A bright red handprint i

hing recoiled. His hand, hanging at his side, clenched into a fist so tight his knuckles cracked. He took a half-step fo

tang of blood from a split on the inside of her mouth. She looked at Lydia, and her eyes