eted like bullets in her mind - memories, secrets, fears she dared not voice. Ev

irts. The scent of him clung to the fabric - cedarwood, danger, command. She felt

kyline, washing the city in a golden hue.

m like a thunderclap.

e said, his voice sh

n tilted upward

o you rea

kept her expression composed

r name, Celeste.

air pulsed

ured herself a glass of water to s

ster manipulator, and murderer of my mother. I was raised in shadows. My father taught me h

dn't change. "Why are

d slightly as she

on't want to

, slow, deliberate.

l enough to protect me. And the only

s from her. His voice

your father

e were some truths that

the old families. Marriages. Silent takeovers. But it's not just about control anymore. He w

at her. "You

e. "I'm the queen. And he doesn't

-

ian, and his financial handler, Anya, in the war room

urveillance confirms everything. Her father's been shifting assets to Switzerland and

arpened. "Insid

bly a Cardinal. Name

cred artifacts through shell companies. Using reli

his arms. "

e asset. The connection poi

nya confirmed. "There's

tened. "Then we

-

ly peaceful - wild roses, Japanese maple trees, a small koi pond

on could build somet

expected," she wh

y that

d behind her, hands in his poc

rom him?" he asked. "Ther

ied to escape the life. Fell in love with someone... normal.

didn't

und the autopsy photos. The bruises. The stab wounds.

silen

ide her. "You're not

ut I'm his legacy. And if I don't

-

Creed Tower

ary defense system. The penthouse d

urity teams

eard the click of the lock behind

wasn't

Tall. Lean. Wearing a priest's coll

Italian accent thick and smoot

y, eyes wide.

t by your father. To

ot ran

e desk as the bullet embedded into t

lled the small blade she kept hi

hodically. "He said you'd try to

le. She leapt out, threw the bla

oo

eamed,

- a secon

ody d

gun raised. His shirt staine

lled her up from the

d, barely

y're not just coming for you.

touch. "Then I need

rkened. "Then I

-

ing, Celeste

best - hand-to-hand combat experts, tactical instructors,

said, guiding her hand through a b

hand on a firearm. "And you need

't flinch. "

died h

at the gala. She wasn't a delicate

ecoming t

t terri

-

i received the report from Marqu

ass of vintage red,

er," the messenger said

ded. "Then we

rec

ing his lips. "We destroy what he prote

pa

he comes cr

s eyes tur

ke her

-

ormy sky, Damon watched Celeste sleep for the fir

nd was any

oving her

r mean

e was

't just a queen

ecoming h

world before he let