ing the shocked faces of the remaining guests and the furious shouts of Paul and Annette. The carefully co

she was sick, holding her hand at her mother's funeral, whispering promises in

which she had secretly arranged to have delivered to the estate days earlier. It was a piec

asphalt. As if on cue, the heavens opened up. Rain began to fall, first as a drizzle, then as

ance. The windshield wipers swiped frantically, but they couldn't clear the blur of tears from her eyes. She pressed her foot down on the accelera

too fast. The worn tires lost their grip on the slick, rain-soak

but it was too late. The Honda spun sideways, sliding directly into the

ttering glass. Her head snapped forward, striking the steeri

r fishtail toward him. For a single, frozen moment, his compos

threw his door open and plunged into the driving rain. He didn't feel

l, unconscious, a trickle of blood running from a gash on her forehead, stark against he

eatbelt and gathered her into his arms. He wrapped her i

s driver, his voice raw with a panic

iling. The air smelled of antiseptic. A steady, rhythmic beeping came from somewhere

s was sitting in

r was damp and disheveled. His face was a grim, ti

lash. "What's wrong?" she rasped, her throa

he pitcher on the bedside table. As he handed it to her, her new phone, whic

th Chloe wasn't used to. "I just wanted to let you know, Mr. Rhodes called. He's arranged for your mother to have a con

ir deal. This was... something else. She looked at Clayton, he

e flat and businesslike. "If you're distracted by your mother's conditi

of his words cutting through the b

It's not just about the contract. You can buy obedience anywhere

t and fell to his lap. "The car, the hospital bills, my mother's new doctor... I'll pa

could one day repay. It was the only way to

. His eyes, which had been clouded with concern,

her side of her on the bed. He picked up her hand, his th

a low, intense vibration that seemed to shake the very ai

deliberate and heavy. "My investment in you isn't measured in dollars, C

ession. Not just control. It was a terrifying, all-cons

back. "You're a psyc

r a long moment, then straightened up and w

A chill that had nothing to do with the air conditioning crept over her skin. This ma