the face, making him stagger, his visi

d through th

ut Clara's obsession with Robert-her lov

d that Clara would lash out

nt body, making it the most explo

at Clara. "Clara, what's gotten into you? This wild b

smile played a

ert was still the shameless p

ver backwards for him, lowering h

lled her unstable, reckl

tares settled on her from

ave crushed her, and she would have burst int

t nothing lik

ghly of yourself!" Clara reto

d her leg up and landed a f

doubled over and collapsed ont

s a blade. "You trampled my true feelings, Ro

it made the whole room hush. "Watch me

d flung it over his face, then tur

e underground garage. Sliding into her sports car,

re on out, she would collect the debt R

reath to steady t

here were people she

and suggest they visit their grandmother, Sylvia Jones, at the nursing home. Be

ictures loaded, showing the Jones fa

es pressed close together as if they were the perfect sibling

ra's chest as she scrol

ed at the back of her th

ud and murder had ruined her. When she finally go

lung to Emily as if she were family, at l

red, blinking fast to fight off the sting in her eyes. H

away, but the name

d Mou

to forget forced it

rful had showered the Jones family with expensi

influence and resources beyond a

but Clara could never forget the

as today the very day Emily performed her

and a plan came toge

verything that mattered. This ti

e steered her car toward Vei

through every hint she remembered, eliminating the p

ay up, heading straight for a spot that she thought migh

the breeze as she got close

was on the

slowed her steps, searchin

place, the metallic scent grew thick

a cold gun barrel pressed

it her senses, and a voice as icy as winte

rs, eyes going wide with shock be

second. "I'm not

r, carrying the unspoken threat that if she'd

one returned. "If you w

carried authority-only someone imp

turned, and found herself staring at

cave, but the power radiating off him was unmistakable. His

alarm as recognition set in-this was Oliver Walsh, the underworld k

d for a brief moment, surp

cted her to st

f recognition didn'

aybe even that he had been p

d as winter rain, his voice slicing throu

telltale flush on his skin and tension in his jaw gave away

once had, so she tried to keep things civil. "I want t

un back toward her, voice hard as granite. "Help me? You

rough Clara at the sight of th

darted forward in a blur, tack

liver crashed against the c

ly defined jaw and pressed her lips fiercely