oe

ing with a franti

e were already spotless. I found eggs, bread, and coffee in the sparsely populated refrigerator

with a sandwich and a mug of black co

my voice barely a whisper

faint sheen of sweat on my brow. For a moment, I thought I saw his e

he liked it. He

ed on the counter wh

balcony, needing the illusion of privacy. The wind

il

he things they're saying in the news..

I reassured her, my hand gri

per. "It's bad. It's worse than we thought. I have a friend who work

my skin. "What? That's impossible. I'm not ther

at noon. They're telling everyone that they found you

awned, so monstrous I coul

bsti

dn't. The

dden behind a veil, just to seal their deal with the George family. They

eek, minimalist clock

15

through me. I would not let them do this. I

my voice shaking with ra

l could protest and

f he'd been waiting for this exact moment. He had

t of him, my hands clench

are using a stand-in to go through with the wedding. I have to get to the

I hated being

ded, my voice cracking. "

click. He looked at me, really looked a

going

ght," I said,

e. The sheer force of his presence was overwhelming, but I

be and pulled out a wallet. From it,

" he said, pressin

s from a nearby bowl. The pranc

aid, his voice a low rumble. "It seem

silence. I had expected to have to beg, to bargain. I had

ace. A dark, possessive

things being su

. He wasn't just talking about

f fear and something else, something I coul

utching the keys so tightly

tor, not even bothering to cha

as watching me go, a faint, dangerous smile on his lips. He looked