silence. A vow sea

nketed the space like fog, heavy and unmoving. Eva sat alone at her desk, her fingertips hovering above the unopened envelope A

s typed beside his. Eva Scottish.

aw cl

e a chessboard: joint public appearances, shared financial interests, full access to Moretti's influence,

erved her more- the ruth

ibrated. Ja

you okay? He's

. She stared at

love. No room

her bag, and walked out, heels echoing th

at Moretti's lo

nd lounge was thick with

ense frame. A glass of amaro glistened in his hand. Raffaella lounged nearby, legs crossed, a cigarette buried

ffaella said. "N

rink. "I didn't choo

cause of Liam?Or because you c

f the drink. Then, i

le dettare le regole."[She brought my world to

row. "She hasn'

e w

she do

e dim ceiling. His

o sporoco."[Then

sion crackling off him lik

, leaving his glass and

______________________________________________

aid. The music from the rooftop bar pulsed softly beneath her heels as Jasmine leaned against the glass railing, l

to her skin like wet cloth. Eva had said she was fine. But that word, fine, meant n

emed like a ha

eeing yo

belong to the smoke or the haze. She was too sharp, t

said flatly. "S

with the skyline behind you. Not hard to tr

ng from her now-warm cocktail.

t here

kward-not quite-but tense. Tense in the way

Jasmine said aft

mine whispered.

her head. "Wh

raid of,

t back too quickly. "I don't

hen maybe you need to be the one

e turned back to the view, her heart pounding

ust stood beside her, shoulder bru

it wasn't clear who

thing ha

ing fr

thin

ghts and low music, but neither

dropped her coat by the door and walked to the kitchen, still in her heels. The envelope rested on the cou

d photo: Her and Liam. The smile on her fa

t it...then dropped it int

nce," she whisper

out and read it agai

s must be authentic. No p

real romantic entanglement,

cked u

Eva Sc

t her name,

urmured, "then let me be t

k soak