he lonely, winding road. The rain had dulled to a light drizzle, b

d memory in her mind - the piano, the scent of jasmine, the warmth of sunlight spilling into a room she cou

ing wheel. The flicker of hope she'd seen in his eyes before had been quickly buried beneath his mask of con

g?" Eva asked, bre

ooking at her. "It's secluded. Secure. No one

who's

e answered curtly. "A ma

rified. In a way, it was worse not knowing what kind of dan

washed-out landscape where danger could be lurking anywhere. The fog pressed again

h twisted

dlights caught a figure

a cried in

SUV skidded slightly on the wet

it?" he

eone standing there,"

e SUV into park and reached under his

y he

ai

ng into the mist with nothing but the beam of

t - something deeper, more primal - told her she couldn't just sit there. Not when shado

into the damp night. The fog was cold against her skin, t

?" she cal

was no

forward, her shoes sink

en - a

lmost m

ena

fr

shifted, revealing a shadowy figure standing several feet away. She couldn't make out the f

ome," the figu

ood turn

..." she bega

ward, just as Alexander's

back to th

st. The figure vanished into the fog in a

fore Alexander grabbed her arm,

car!" he snapped, his voi

Eva gasped. "They...

t a muscle ticked in his cheek.

ts later, he was behind the wheel, the SUV roaring back to

ile, neither

my with cold. "They knew my name," she

ately. His face was pale, draw

admitted. "But I

nto view - a sprawling, modern cabin built into the side of a wooded hill,

eway, floodlights kicked on,

he shadows. Dressed in black tactical gear, h

said gruffly as Alexan

knowledged. "I need t

plied, his gaze flicking

nder his ass

cted sharply. "And she stays u

a curt nod.

arm and surprisingly comfortable, with a roaring fire and thick rugs

where he poured himself a glass of whisk

back there?" sh

re haunted. "Someone's playing a game, Eva. And if they know you're a

ould d

you were right about one thing ear

down and took a

, raw, "I'll find out who's behind this. And wh

just anger. Not just control. But a deep, aching grief. And she knew then - w

ed she could