Stant

d just pulled it shut, but I paused.

stioning looks from Winston and his men. I walked slowly, deliberately,

e with impotent hatred. Brenda was a sobbing, broken mess. Pierce Tho

ed her tear-streaked face, her blue eyes wide with a mixture

ed. "Why are you doing

d gently, with the tip of my finger, brushed away a single, crocodi

my touch, her

y she could hear. "Stop calling me sister, Celeste. Your little act is over.

catch, her entire

would die quickly, so you wouldn't have to marry a dying man, but the family would still get

om her face. She had no idea how I could possibly know ab

l volume, laced with mocking pity. "Sorry to dis

hen turned my gaze to Pierce, who visibly recoiled under my star

re than a piece of trash on the sidewalk, and walk

eyes held a new, deeper level of assessment. He closed the doo

e ground like a statue that had lost its color. I had pla

navigated the roads with quiet competence. I leaned my head back against the soft leather and closed my eyes, truly fe

from the manicured suburbs to the stee

nton, shall we proceed directly to the Alpha

my old life-these clothes, this feeling of being

," I said. "And ple

rearview mirror and nodde

heart of the city. This was my fortress. The convoy of trucks was already there

car. "Give me one h

he replied. "

or. It opened into a sprawling duplex penthouse with floor-to-ce

the shower on as hot as I could stand it, letting the

nt woman. I wore simple but elegant black trousers and a silk