a world away from the stuffy

sed with color, and there was a sense of vibran

just us and a handful of Ava' s closest friends, pe

ccounts Ava insisted on setting up, a gesture

mansion felt like steppi

thick with

eway, by Ethan' s new toy – a blood-red F

e engine as I approached, the car lu

innocence. Chloe clung to his arm, her eyes narrowe

m?" Ethan drawled, le

nom. "Heard you picked up some trash fro

hampagne from a nearby table, a remnan

e said, and before I could react, he upended t

d, a high, b

eethed silently, or perha

I just look

nd that little scar behind your left ear, the one from f

died. Her f

band of nearly fifty years w

ker of confusion, then d

t sneered. "What' s t

ng Chloe' s gaze. Se

e house, the scent of stal

known me since I was a boy, looked

rt and left, no

g in her car d

me a fresh shirt

gh v

" I said, feeling lighte