n the Vale estate a

t

mus

sil

nd herself. Her body was sore from tension, her mind

ened t

th

ually patrolled

test, sh

a t

day-less like a fortress, more like a stage w

o the dining wing, voices d

Hea

back to the wall

" Jules was saying. "You ca

Dominic replied. "She's t

s bre

n't even

ls dug int

o a den of wolves, and Dominic planned to

at stung most w

s bre

utes later, his exp

er standing in the hallw

d breakfast

e brou

ow. "You've learne

hen it

r. "And what

ru

I deal in many flavors of truth.

hy you're really

ropping into something qui

u told me what you

at p

mile spread a

be hope f

ast wing-an area she

A long corridor filled with weapons behi

n't a

s a w

a steel door guarde

a keypad and pressed his p

oor o

d with monitors, surveillance fe

ured to one

it

ated, the

from the drawer and

s printed o

T – AGE

ned it

ts. Photos of her apa

ospital stay after the accid

his?" she

he said. "Fro

been wat

Viole

ged up h

ad no

coldly. "She took from me.

til his face was

know what she re

up at him,

tell

dn't

handed her a

ned it

oded shipments. Offshore accounts.

her and inserted th

een fli

olet. Breaking into a da

" Dominic said. "Encrypted routes. Contact names. Codes

gave it

aid. "She

nk I know wh

know. Ev

est ti

I'd betray

c lean

your sister b

rs later with the file in he

n't lied. N

as real. The

he mo

l hi

the ceiling, replaying Viole

la. Especially the ones

about Dominic?

ominic summon

didn't take her

rough thorns and moonlight-to a gr

ith heat and scent. Roses.

k blossom and he

now what

N

e. Beautif

dn't t

here to

lower. "No, you're here to rot

in riddles because you're afrai

do you thi

t with him. "You want someone to belong

n't re

't m

't b

ng in his e

ing to unders

te it," she

ut and touch

t o

knuckles a

o

ad

ked away, leaving her

greenhouse for an

o unders

e the sensatio

how it felt to be seen

sn't just tryin

ying to c

by p

by

had made

t be tra

ght be

ould not

t

The morning light seeped weakly through the heavy curtains. Isla lay still, eyes op

her frame. Her skin still bore the invisible bruises of the night b

she cracked

lway wa

d-Luca-was now

le floor as she ventured out, drawn by

heart thumping, and peek

ble, carrying the weight of author

ules' calm tone countered. "Yo

t just a girl. She's the leverage Violet left m

breath

era

e

't just about money or

he pawn caught in

k to her room,

aking" echoed

already

her there la

illed the room

ake," he s

out flinching. "What

ow. "I want you to underst

hard. "I wan

, then said,

like a labyrinth until they reached a heav

nce cameras, armed men

high-tech c

s from cameras scattered ac

ioned to a

d, heart

der with her name p

, Isla Har

it with tre

ege tran

rom her

state

the accident that h

ave all this?

anted to protect

ile marked "c

ry valuable. Something that th

eyes na

she dis

d. "Because she stole

lay on the bed,

warning echoe

ust anyo

was th

mi

lurking beneath

ominic summon

sic room, he took her through th

k with floral sc

nightshade blossom

said, voice low,

used to

here fo

hinly. "Nei

eyes, steady

me to belo

that," he

me to ch

will ha

heart

hate

eared

art of her wondered if sh