s bedroom was transforme

ers. Using her intimate knowledge of Port Sterling's elite social circles and a few discreet inquiries on les

g he'd acquired unintentionally like her bracelet, wouldn't be treasured. It would be discarded, most likely in a d

th night, s

s, pulling her hair back into a severe knot at the nape of her neck

ped from her second-story balcony onto the thick branch of an anci

ards the enemy's territory. She parked it several blocks away, the rest of the jo

he had attended countless parties there, bored out of her mind, and had spent hours exploring the grounds. There was a section at the f

on. She scaled the wall, her fingers finding purchase in the gnarled vine

amp earth thick in the air. She knew the patrol routes by heart. Two guards, c

its own private terrace. She was gambling that he would be out, fo

. She crouched behind a large stone planter and peered at the French doors. A

ike this. A stroke of unbelievable luck. She didn

ing and into the suffocat

wood and something else, something metallic and smoky. It made th

he faint glow of her phone's screen, hel

The drawers of a massive

t the edges of her contr

d to his walk-in closet. Of course.

th rows of identical dark suits and crisply ironed shirts, all or

ed valet stand used for cu

quartz

lvet, looking small and fragil

ugh her. She reached for it,

low growl of a powerful car

ry muscle in her

ack. Hou

to get out. No t

cool stones, and dove for the deepest, darkest part of the

o her chest, trying to make herself smaller, invi

ut through the darkness, followed by the he

l gap in the coats, Avery could see his silhouette. He looked angry, yanking

his voice a low, cold rum

Seraphina is my responsib

pa

dripping with contempt, "I was never inte

a physical blow. A cold, sharp humilia

e silence that follow

he starte

towards t

going to find her. Her world narrowed to the sound of his approachi