nds after Vaness

llivan nor Dyla

xury cars disappeared one by one from the gala ent

e r

nt quietly while Vanessa's wo

other alread

h

her

ho sh

...

an already carried enough weight for his f

ettled her more than

tight while his hands rested inside his coat pockets like he

e softly. "You publicly humil

the question exhausted him alread

mean

arrassed

efully now. "She publi

ly. "I told her repeatedly nothin

e still

es

linked

o

life sounde

fortun

quietly slippe

ia Laurent publ

anessa clear

some

in the rain looki

't make

was why it

quiet instantly. "You'

ite herself. "That sente

es wit

ai

the dangero

glowing city streets because suddenl

eded d

ac

that this w

rter did not permanently

was r

his eyes looked whe

tighter around herse

y looked at her.

on't h

kno

r hit harder tha

e some

e staying sou

nodding once. The truth was she didn

the dange

exactly. Just thoughtful. Cate watched rain slide down the windows while

e caught him glancin

g whether sh

have affected

it

ly. "Your grandmother r

htened slightly

esn't k

not what

le

fin

life should loo

intly without h

ily. Public image. S

rt more than

y she could alm

billiona

ity

ed int

like V

who be

ys exhausted beside hospital

ain and immediately noticed

owered slig

wned. "S

elf smaller i

racy sta

e some

ctly what sh

before turning fully toward her for

mosphere inside the

ft

dange

t Vanessa thinks,

allowed

you d

ur fami

le

y against the win

g that made her chest st

t anyone enough to fi

ught painfull

e sudd

ger felt ca

adily in the dim city lights. "

o

d

se she do

her was starting

infinitely mo

ate coul

ddenly rang thro

ed at th

diately w

shift instantly

ller ID for one long s

es

le

other side made his expr

rst time since

nuinely frightening i

side the car turn

ormal

rous

beside Dylan Carter the moment his

er he

atte

lo

dangerously calm. "Wh

ered from th

covered windows, suddenly feeling like sh

Dylan spo

N

down imme

his tone sent a c

e unti

een the softer

man

what coffee

her like s

ed every emotion

ion felt

erf

o

ucha

naire ever

d the call

d the car immedi

ned toward him.

ond he sa

ding how much tr

fin

found out

tightened

O

omehow sounded small

ore he exhaled quietly. "Someon

diately u

ne

cou

on crossing her face instan

s becaus

N

e around me are inv

ened slightly

ething uncomfortable se

e sudd

ing fel

citing

icate

hat hurt e

for another minute before speaking aga

ed at him

.Wh

lifted despite the tension. "

N

lutel

her briefly. "You hav

know she

es most

not comf

e the phone call, Dylan

d

affected her emb

elplessly. "Why are

not c

look

g not to s

answer made her heart

e sudd

ed somethin

ly cared whet

casu

empor

iou

some

this eve

the windows. Cate looked down at her hands quietly, trying to understand why

"Do they usually cont

nt silen

e answere

tomach t

rse th

aised normally. His relat

ss all

y app

uta

gic ma

who spilled wine

"My grandmother believes em

ntly. "And what

ingered heavil

ly against the steering wheel

she was

I met

o

ai

the devasta

kly because her chest

protect herself from som

ing. Rain still poured steadily across the quiet s

moved im

once a

ght suddenly

d her seatbelt. "Your

t her calmly.

th the sentence settl

il

tbeat flutt

us bill

erous bil

door handle before Dylan'

at

ned imm

mosphere inside the

ft

os

veral long seconds like he

qui

oo much for you...

eyes almost ruined he

e some

bout losing her than los

tly. "You make it

ession darke

ht beco

le

tly against the w

e could fully p

enly flashed ac

wly stopped directly b

looked toward

's stomac

pping out of the car

was no

t woman stepped

d e

p po

earr

t complet

ords that made Cate's

my grand