a's

ark shadows of the bedroom, my ch

ge of the bed, holding a thin

he said softly. "I ju

tress, the springs dipping under his weight

rved for syndicate negotiations. "You cannot drown in this grief. Things aren't wha

so I refused to speak to him. I only wanted

d barefoot, shoving my hands against his ch

ising his hands in

m toward the d

tanding in the mi

too large for her, the top three buttons undone to expose her collarbo

glass, swirling the amber liquid a

asked, her voice dripping with a feigned,

ng right behind me, and a brief flash of

omised by a rival faction tonight. It wasn't safe for her to stay there.

knowing the truth. She did not intend to be a

red past me and glanced into the living room, her

ed with poorly hidden amusement. "The little heir's fa

y wall of restraint I had left, a hot

ared, the sound a raw, r

orced tears into her wide eyes and looked up at

d and grabbed

loe is only showing respect for your lo

and turned my wrath on him, my vo

" I screamed. "Ge

ng a hesitant step to

rfect victim. "I shouldn't have intruded. Let me earn

he grand piano, dragging her fingers across the polis

r!" I shrieked,

atic startle, and he

lashing across the pristine wood of the piano, whi

iano and crashed onto the hardwo

ir, the ashes settling across the dark wood,

nk, and the sound of my o

s, sobbing out fake, breathy apologies. "I'm so sor

were bloodshot, burning with a murderous clari

t to touch her?!" I ro

re about dignity, nor did I care about the syndicate rules. My onl

ror, scrambling backward to h

o shield his mistress, grabbi

r damn mind?" he shouted

racks into his forearms as I fought to reach the girl behind him. I scre

y wrists, and the world t