first to br

wounded pride. "You are unman

re leaving. Come, Daisy. You

ad. Let her wallow in he

trange mix of fear and something else

, Daisy casting a triumphant,

rture was

, by the accusations, by the sheer

"dangerous," "unhing

d ballroom was

verturned chairs, his face ashen. He looked at me,

hat have y

ache. Abandone

lso..

n, not with a rush of fleeing guests,

, dressed in dark, impe

way of Cade or Finn. There was an intensity in his

is cheek, disappearing into his collar. It didn'

n Va

ad c

lroom. There was no judgment in them, n

stared. "

d towards us, his

ice calm and resonant. "Ava."

lly seemed to remember his

aining, stunned onlookers and the hovering staff. "T

en the LeBlanc family and the Vance family of New York. All previous m

through th

ted again, lo

ance? The

he' s damag

c thinking, alig

, yes, but so eccentric.

bed by the murmurs. H

ain entrance to the

red and imposing – clearly Ethan' s father, the art world magnate. He was

say a word. Their pre

tantly. The remaining

LeBlanc mansion, Cade, Finn, and Silas were

ough his voice lacked its usual conviction. "She

tched on his face. "The Vance family.

bout Ava. Or the Vances. They' re a flash in the pan. She' s

he car, not from the road, but s

icy chill, a hollo

tching his arm.

bond... the LeBlanc co

ened. Severed

unease, of dawning fear, in their eyes. They q