ENTLE

awns of the Bentley estate shrinking in the rearview mirror. T

he governor's chief of staff had given him the

s kids, playing hide-and-seek among the vines of his family's winery. But that was

ng a path, and drove directly into the secure undergrou

and professional, was waiting for us. Dami

spectful nod. "The governor is wa

r's office was vast and imposing, with a floor-to-ceilin

t stood at the window. He turned, and a warm, familiar s

more polished than the boy I remembered,

, leaving what I thought was just th

his childhood nickname. T

eard from Aunt Augusta what happened. I'm sorry you had to

es. You saved my life," I said

utes, catching up on th

father and my ex-fiancé's family... they're trying to take everythin

s expression hardened, his e

Merritts' less-than-legal business activities for a wh

x compliance," they would place a temporary freeze on any transfer of ownership for

ee's schemes, Brett's violent assault. He listened in

t in the corner of th

been there the whole time, as still and sile

fectly cut black suit. This was not the body of a politician or a bureaucrat.

g eyes I had ever seen. Deep, cold, and possessing an unnerving intelligence. They seemed to see right th

n't have that look of command. He was a p

gh my chest, and I faltered,

ction and followed my ga

ead in response, but h

ks, as if every one of my desperate,

was he in the govern

idn't offer an introduction. "Don't worry, Eva," he said, drawing m

said us

cluded the silent, dang