Thom

cold, professional detachment, their faces carefully blank. They removed the bullet, stitched my wounds, and put my

house apartments across the city, a precious jewel

been my anchor for a decade was gone, leaving behind a cold,

nothing about, and I would start over. But first, there was one last thing I needed to do. I had to

uards had returned to me, buzzed wi

fe by the marina. C

as already there, sitting at a secluded table. She looked pale, but her eyes held a smug, triumphant glint

rainy ultrasound photo across the table. "Elliott is ecstatic. He's alr

, then back at her smug face, and a s

are you?" I said, my voice quiet. "Just a l

alculating business partner he was trapped with. He said your hands are dirty, that you disgust h

s mark. A familiar ache bloomed in my chest, the ghost of a love long dead. All the sacrifices, all the ruthl

r his love," I said, my voice flat a

nto hers. "I just want one thing.

ou mean that tacky thing Elliott had made? It was a sweet gesture, but it's not rea

s his declaration of love for me, Elena. A symbol that

ged across the table, my hand reaching for the sculptur

it t

d me back. The move was calculated. My injured leg buckled

, almost black, trickled from the corner of her mouth. She clut

gasped, her face

n in shock. Wha

in, flanked by two of his imposing bodyg

trons hustled out by his security team.

or, groaning in agony. He saw me, sprawled amidst the wreckage of chairs a

oned me..." Isla sobbed, poin

atred, and my heart, which I thought had already turn

walked right into her

ace grim. "It's a potent, fast-acting toxin, Mr. McCullough. Ms. Lit

sked away on

ilent. It was j

at. Of course he wouldn't believe me. He had already

ce a hollow whisper. "I