e door silently, her fa

custom-stocked for Dominic' s specific allergi

this morning, a small,

e pier, the dark water of P

nzipped her bag, pulled out the kit,

plash, then sank, taking

patching

ne, the one reserved for cont

ng a number she' d memorized years ago, a

s biggest thorn. A man who' d witnessed her c

ne rang

is voice wa

said, her own voice

what do I owe the ple

, the wind whipping her hair. "Dominic Russ

ence, longe

f?" she added, the words

Eli' s voice was laced with suspic

change," Ava replied flatly. "And Domini

e hour," Eli said, the caution sti

there."

ic summoned her. He was

he said, draping an arm around her should

flinch, play

Pier 7. Biggest one yet. I need you

m," she said,

ed the next b

a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. "Chloe' s going to be moving in soon.

Their home, the place filled with ten years of sha

ief tightenin

"I know it' s sudden. But this whole Chloe thing.

sed an

re my wife, my most prized possession, you become his number one target. This way, with Chloe

nce, it was almost laughable. He was gaslighting her,

lm settling over her. She n

g a small, compliant smile. "Whatever'

new you' d see it my way. Grab whatever you need fro

ip, signing it with a flouris

wasn' t lo

slip. "Consi

eal in that house, every whispered plan, every mo

cted illusion he was now disma

yalty, it had all been a currency h