the Persian rug as I walked. Damian hadn't come home after the ga

I expec

awkward heavier, like the

at the door. Usually, it was locked ti

a moment before

urity feeds and encrypted files. A massive desk dominated the room, piled high wit

spott

ng the Di Carl

ath hi

fingers moved almost on t

n me days ago. But this one was filled with names.

tom sent chills down my

ooked younger than I remembered, sharper, but

ociate of my father. I remembered him charmingly slipping me c

ppeared. The week

something,

thoughts, and I turned aroun

his jacket off, sleeves rolle

pen,* I managed to s

you ope

eliberate and slow, like a pr

fast, feeling corn

ice was low, more dangero

ng my space, pressing my

world, my name, and you repay m

ve me the truth,* I

owled, "is not

it, but to cup my chin, forc

y, Claire. This isn't a game. The men in that fil

d be scared of you

brushed my

breath warm against my skin. "Bu

pond; I didn

ed, and then he stepped back,

eeting tonight

d ran c

on. I want to know why he's circling my

ehind me. *What if h

e is. You just don't know

father. Did yo

"Ye

e doting uncle. And then, when your father was at

N

k, smiling again. I don'

me with three guards s

tracted by a security update and s

found him outside the elevator on the ground floor, weari

ing when you'd

sane for

te, and desperate

nding beside him. Why

ow, "I didn't," Da

Claire, think about it why would I kill a guy who made me m

e was scared. But not of me

a tot

un his own version of the truth in y

es Damian never let you see. I've held onto

ck. "You'll find out soon enough. And when you d

I couldn't take my eyes

plugged it into my laptop.

ce memos, emails. One

ther's voice

anted the ledger for leverage, but I refused. He said I'd pay for that decision. H

ing my eyes. My world f

d certainty, his power plays, his obs

realized the real devil wasn't Lu