velope

envelope, her fingers

, an intricate embl

rapped arou

w that

a scar on h

of the C

finally caugh

g like a shadow-dark and commanding. She could feel

edged with danger

't answer r

d down, slowly picki

. Heavy. Han

anted her to know

cl

was wearing th

ore turning to face him.

ke being ignored. But he also k

grabbed her wrist and pul

Never Sta

ready waiting, gun in hand. His sharp eyes took in

that?" h

dy. The grand room was lined with floor-to-ceiling

p until they re

r-only to hit his pa

en

a hes

ened it, there woul

opped lower, ro

oke th

ick, expensive. The kind on

ed in deep crimson ink that

d have st

t, an a

hadn't see

ld es

ere she had

llowed hard, forcing herself t

Luca

lway

o fists. "Tell me what

eyes. "It'

ls flared.

le

h

tried to kill me

a's

he room turn

his body tense, his breath

r his breath. "Yo

sn't just running from you, Lu

ike a weight lifting. But

ow and deliberate, like

e murmured, his voi

r shoulders. "I p

answ

y had time to react before h

er in. His scent-dark spice and leather-wrapped ar

ouch wasn

t was

contr

ally

d, voice like a blade against her skin. "And you di

ed. "You were t

d. "I would have

eath h

e he m

lway

e hadn't been rea

o

know what to b

ice t

d back, raking a hand through his hair

king at her, he t

e secu

." His eyes flicked t

dn't he

not lea

ffened. "E

hers. "You're staying

r arms. "And

t there was no

won

through her. "You d

shifted-dark,

nt of her again, his fingers

uch. A contradiction

murmured. "I

ran down

he terrif

p inside, she

, unspoken words lingering in

h

se alar

and urgent. He answered,

e have a

moved toward

e estate from the letter?

blood r

't sending

sending

where

e coming