SSA'

, it felt like the

aring at

from behind me. Same black dress I had

this photo from

. Not an hour ago. L

re stil

e phone. "Lock the doors."

dy m

ards, my patience gone. "Lo

adio. "Secure the per

e hallway. "How many securit

the guar

he oth

pa

n't k

went sharp.

rd rush

The angle-whoever took it had to be right behind me.

. Doors wide open. Clothes e

. But they didn't just sea

loser to th

e. "Varessa." He sounded like h

ned.

olice chec

my hea

narrowe

do." I shot the phone a glare. "My husband is dead. S

s I headed to

ised a hand. "Ev

arching behind the clothes. Under the bed. T

e frowned. "

ng in knots. "Then ex

did

omething wasn't right

of water sat there. I hadn't put it there.

was here,

ed up the g

cen

anything else

etective checked the

one was here," I rep

t was still shut, but tucked between the curtain and wall

someone been in here, they wore gl

low. Three floors d

ne wen

Stay here!" he ordered, but I

the detec

down the stairs, footste

door s

loor first and disappeared dow

n?" I

ans

ear entrance stood wide op

arden was empty. The gates

Darian. "Did y

his hea

did they

breath. "That'

way. No footprints. No br

Close the door," he bark

o Darian.

reased. "K

one was wa

rdly moved.

urprised by th

d. Barely. But I caug

"I'm just trying

't you tell m

can

y n

e. "Because if I tell you what I kn

oldly. "I a

n't und

finger at the ceiling. "Someone was in my bedroom." I held up my phone, almost

top treating me like

something unreadable there. Then he sa

stuttere

grabbed his arm. "

ept

ien was worri

es

w l

le

ong, D

ee y

As long as I'

own for th

es

wn w

y. "Why Lucie

y voice sounded far

't tel

hy

made me

. "Dead. He's dead, and yo

ce softened

e. "Don't. I don't

not sy

what i

dn't

f the hall. His face almost

t is

nd some

lenched.

Arden'

im without l

ried to stop me

N

stains crossed the marble. I hated the sight of them. Ha

. "Here." He pointed to the fl

en comp

Wasn't visib

nelt, pulling o

mmered. "Wh

ey, a black flash drive, a

me. "You should

llow laugh.

d, then han

writing. I kn

ine squeeze

re

someone has already tr

wned.

tells you where t

nds s

about our marriag

e I didn't

quinted close

ew someone w

. Everyone

to believe I

will discover things

an down

rself h

hing wen

o, do not return t

fr

night I thought I'd

never happened the

e, the room colla

at mean?" I a

stayed

m. "Did Lucien le

N

ch ag

alre

search

ntly, and the off

. Slid open drawers-empt

he desk, a small symbol-a c

dbag, pulled out the photo from earlier

to Sevrin. "

. "You've see

N

lie t

epped in.

ed a look-te

reath. "It belonged to a

ch g

t active

as it c

y eyes.

-until Darian swore under hi

hy

ol. "Orion was dissol

S

ucien was

opped out fr

t organization?" I looked

d at the

hoe. I stepped back-a small

s engraved

. "What does

kept

wered. "No

re t

tated.

he

me. "Arden In

an cold. "

oom 317 hasn't been o

hy

everyone to st

ngers around t

's where he kept everything

one b

dropped

tograph-a room, a desk, a wall cove

d through

was taken

Before my wedding. Before I ev

message

LOOKING FOR

ice. Then a

HER WHO LUCI

cked the win

mot

ien have to

Sevrin. He'd

vri

ans

t is

ed at my pho

our mother was su

orld

ha

as the first person Luc

g else fa

rder wasn't the only secr

was another. Maybe