the chill left behind

gerous, Hailey. St

concern. She had nodded, played the obedient daughter, but in

ed on the ceiling. But her mind wasn

ay he'd looked at her, like he already owned her secrets, her soul. It was stupi

be because of it-she wanted to see

w friends, asking casually about Christian Russo. Most hadn't even heard of him. One had heard rumors

ough news articles, blogs, anything with the Russo name. Nothi

paper and forgotten secrets, and that felt fitting. She spent hours le

nally, s

y years ago. A feud. The Russos vs.

od ran cold

n it trailed off, citing "an unresolved incident" that left the feud buried in silence. No follow-up

her never told

ky in bruised purples and reds. But she barely noticed the

the tinted window of a parked b

g. She was careful, clever, too curious for her own good. And far

e. But the moment she stepped into

tian couldn'

e resolve in her eyes. She looked beautiful in

n to her li

htening. But she's not afraid of

e as she walked home, but something made her

ckened

ind her, leaning against it as her heart raced. The

to see h

the kitchen, sipping his usual black coffee.

uiet," he said

r most convincing

nger, then nodded. "You know wha

kno

"Good. I just want

, but behind her eyes, something had shifte

use. She told her father she was goin

istian only on

instantly: Old

own, Hailey's heart pounded so lou

e a forgotten ruin. One single light glo

and there he was-leaning against a concrete

, voice low, dangerous. "I

between them slowly, unab

uth," she said

space until they were almost touching.

. "That's a danger

n't c

sho

of hair behind her ear, fingers g

ips brushing the shell of her ear.

ingled. "I'm no

ed, slow and w

into the shadows. She followed him through a metal do

ted. Stacks of old files. Newspape

s heart

ur answers,"

on legal forms she'd never seen. Land deeds. Police reports. One do

stian said. "And your

between them?"

ied because of a deal your father m

y fel

ly, Hailey. But you only know

him. "Why are you

into." His eyes darkened. "And because I want you

door behind th

. Christian's

that?" s

t alone,"

echoed-f

into the shadows behind a metal shelving

, wearing a leather jacket. The second had a sca

so. Christi

Christian. His

he whispered. "I told

ow voices. Christi

e's digging," Sc

ent replied. "Too much o

made Haile

htened on her wrist.

was t

alled out, voice oily.

pulling Hailey behind

I was hoping you'd

tian's hand slipped into his ja

her?" Vincent sneered. "A

flinch. "She's

suddenly-reachi

h of m

n co

iley behind him jus