thly into the underground gar

ut, relishing the freedom of the tailored suit trousers. She

n, but his tight pencil skirt restricted his movement. He tried to step ou

his voice a frustrated squeak.

over the roof of the

anded. "You are Ava Downs now.

uckles turning white as he gri

The doors slid open. Ava walked straight past the living room a

lves burning from the unn

bespoke suits. She pulled out a deep navy Brioni suit and held it up

t of the women's section. The racks were filled with silk, lac

s back, his fingers fumbling blindly for the tiny, invisible zipper. His shoulder

eflection in the mirror. She

a word, she grabbed the zipper t

The cool air hit El

ing instinctively over his chest to cover himse

ou doing? !

d a conservative silk robe off

," Ava sneered. "I have se

ghtly around himself, his hea

" Eldridge demanded

om her pocket. She tapped th

ocal cords to mimic Eldridge's f

d forward to g

ard, pressing her knee firmly into his stomach, p

it was like pushing against a concr

irty minutes," Ava said into the phone. "And ha

up and dropped the phone back int

ed forward, gas

up at her. "Bird is fragile. She doesn't un

he closet tu

lapels of the silk robe, pulli

his. The raw hatred in her eyes made Eldridge's blo

in his throat. He had never seen this

as if she had touched something filthy. She turned

flection. The soft, terrified eyes of his wife stared b

r. He had to get

, he could run in. He looked for flat shoes. There were no

his feet into a pair of low-heele

sprayed Eldridge's signature Tom Ford Oud Wood cologne on her neck. The he

o was struggling to tie th

a cruel smile playing on her

er from you," Eldridge s

p the keys to the Aston Ma

Ava said. "If y

Eldridge tried to run after her, but his ankle gave out on

sitting in the driver's seat of the Aston Martin. The engine roared

he passenger side, reach

orward, pulling

at him standing there in the dim light,

b, honey,"

the ramp and disappeared into the New York night, leaving Eldridge c