even bursts. The neon lights of the club still flashed behind her, but the electricity t

n Cr

ad looked at her, the warning in his voice-it should have bee

ring effect of his presence. This was insane. She was "nobody" in his world

hing told her

cab. The moment she slid into the back

nn

had practically "abandoned" her there, and she w

she pic

e snapped. "You ditched me

chuc

a fr

he other end w

p. Slow. C

ft in a

rt "sto

phone tighter.

e. And

lready

urned to ic

dry. How did he

was smooth, but beneath it was something darker.

self to sound composed. "I didn

sweetheart." The word sent an unexplainable heat thro

iance bubbled in her chest. "

enc

ls down her spine, he said, "Because

respond, the ca

the screen, her

d she just gotte

Next

d barely

restless. She told herself she was overthinking it, that it

own, she k

ut of her mind. The normalcy of her college routine was a sharp contr

ina

e Jenny, Sophie was the responsible one. She had been Alina's rock s

n a ghost," Sophie said,

smile. "You h

th her. "Tell me ever

-

quiet café just off campus, Alina

eyes. "You went to "Vortex" with Jenny, ended up in a "VIP

d. "Yeah, pr

he had grown two heads. "Al

he rumors," A

lf of Manhattan, and the other half either works for him or fears him." She hes

d. "That's jus

inted look. "Then wh

no answer

again. Another

t it, her pu

m?" Sophie

against her better ju

through the line.

nch, gripping her coat as the cool e

ave ignored the call, deleted

she was.

and unmistakably expensive. The back do

overcoat, his suit perfectly tailored, he looked like he

as he approached, his

eyes scanning her face like he was

. "You didn't reall

ed. "Sma

r arms. "What

d something." He stepped closer, his voice lowering. "Yo

she held his gaze. "T

studying her. "Becau

ver ran th

and pulled out a folded enve

's th

b off

s furrowed.

I need a new per

less, disbelieving so

like a man

h flipped.

le. And now that you've seen more than you should... I'd rat

fr

protect

trollin

a lethal promise. "Because if you don't... som

ood ra

n't just

a "wa

she stepped into Damon Cross's wo