pte

fal

f her bedroom as she replayed the conversation again and again. Camille had held her ground

er under scrutiny and retreat with the same contemptuous apology that so many others had offered. However, Camille had

rack left behind at the dinner table. Evelyn had heard that Ethan had left early and that he n

a rose row in the garden. The symbolism-tidying her roses as if she belonged-wa

, Camille looked up. When they aren't given everything, hands learn to

they held each other's gaze. There were no shouts, no showmanship, just cool chess between two queens who were not ready to give up. After that, Ev

t as a flaw," It wasn't approval. It wasn't peace. But it was the beginning of something-acknowledgment, perhaps

Ethan as a child and stared. He had always chosen with hi

lle? Camille w

a storm r

lle didn't smile. Even when the bride's sister gave her a wink from across the ballroom. Her fingers were too tightly on the stem of her flute, and she kept looking at the man in the dark suit in the corner, watching

e previous manager in tow, a man who had vanished from town a week later. Whispers followed Dominic like smoke

rble. But it wasn't his appearance that unsettled her. He was aware of it. Camille felt the breath tighten in

e know to

or, cloaked in LLCs and shell companies. Cocktails named after sins were now served at the bar, and patrons talked about the new priva

wedding, standing too close to the

e a wolf pacing through lambs. Camille was the first person to spot him approaching. Her inst

ce as smooth as wine turned

eath. "You wer

the wedding photographer with a wink. "Your sister e

ath caught. "W

n." Or, more accurately, your brand-new brothe

her spine. "You're

a harsh word. I offer opportun

swelled. "Stay aw

t pitying. "I've never been

amot and bourbon thick around him. "Do you still consider the Red Veil to be merel

a envelope on the gift table next to her, "But you do care about secrets." "E

ared at the envelope, her fingers itching, her mind racing. What did he know? What had he

Black and w

woman Camille recognized as a waitress from the Red Veil who had been reported missing in 1999. Camille gripped

ughter and music drifted from the ballroom, but her world had quieted, shrunk down to the edges of

he sound of foot

Dominic said cal

e hissed. "What ar

e you willing to do to safeguard your father's legacy? She sta

d, "your father didn't make mistakes.

r head. "I'll

grin. "Everyone you'd tell already owes

ed as the wind picked up. They sto

le, you don't have to fight me. You could join me. I need someo

parted, but no

ose strand of hair from her cheek l

ing Camille alone with the photograph, the s