smooth, laced with counterfeit warmth as he poure

off the gilded frames and aged chandeliers. The room smelled of spiced tea and a dan

nswered, her voice

al suit, a silk pocket square folded like a dagger in his

ile the other rested casually on the armrest, fingers tapp

d her tongue to remind herself that she wa

," he said. "You see, this house it bre

sharply. "What a

I'm not implying. I'm stating. You're only here because I allow it.

e, but her expression remained serene

sed to scare m

arify the arrangement. You stay in line, and I stay quiet. Weston belie

n. "You don't scare me, Alexander. I've faced w

I'm not your worst nightmare, Georgia. I'm th

from the tea. It was from the man who'd just reminde

't meant to

d again in his father's study. But the voices drifting through

it clearly. You're only

hoed down the hallway just as W

e flicker of alarm in her eyes, quickly

rply. "What the hell was that?

" she sai

t hear him? He threatened you. And yo

had to get used to threats, Weston. Especially

thing. What did he mean by 'stay in li

ooked

't make me di

ld stop expecting everyone around you to play perfect

voice cracked. "I'm trying to protect you.

ed, eyes glistening. "But you're l

he parlor. He could still hear his fath

as on you," he said quie

rgia standing in the hallway where c

broke th

an ancient lock, one she remembered from childhood, back when her mother worked in the Ashford

inside the va

No, n

rawers, rifling through dusty ledgers and

buzzed.

with shaking

la wit

. W

. She said she's being followed. Someone's been outside her clinic for three ni

blood turn

g to her,

his is about Weston's family if this is a

enne's warning still ringing in her ears. This wasn

was

rd the slow, del

and Westo

g in his hand. A folder

out. "Looki

trembling. When she peeled it

de

id you g

ld you I'd find out what you were hiding. I

tole i

d coolly. "Consider it m

e of what this meant. If

she whi

I think you're telling the truth. And I want

uch her. Did

he deed in her hand like

ger just fight

ighting t

had just ch