er. A rusted bell clanked above her head. The heavy scen

she whispered to the waitress with heavily tattooed ar

ale, tear-streaked face and slid a greas

ngers trembled as she dialed the

dial tone felt like

h the earpiece-low, dark, and heavy with an oppressive we

tightly her knuckles turned white. "I... I was at the NYU li

und of his slow, measured breathing traveled thro

humorless laugh. His voice dropped to a ter

ne wen

waitress, grabbed the scalding mug of black coffee, and took a

n the counter, pushed through the diner doors, and power-walked d

make it h

hantom. The tires shrieked against the asphalt as it

tared. The tinted rear wi

dows of the backseat. His fa

f his Alpha presence sucked the oxygen out

ped out, his face completely blank. He extended an arm t

. She moved like a mechanical doll, dragging her feet acr

ed shut. The noise o

Holmes sat with his long legs crossed, staring down

opposite door, trying to put as mu

p, wrapping around her wrist. He yanked her acro

ng her face up. His sharp gaze dissected

of the Brooklyn precinct, the street corner where she argued wit

s widened in

sn't just a gift. He had installed a military-grade GPS

he had over her made her sick to her stomach. She thrash

ightened, bru

ear. "Never lie to me again, Alexia," he whispered, th

her head away, squeezing her eyes shut, refus

traffic, descending into the private unde

by the wrist. He marched toward the private elevator, his

arted. Holmes half-carried, half-dragged her into

ned in shock at the sight of Alexia being

veryone," H

ed. The living room was dead sil

lvet sofa. Before she could sit up, he planted both hands

. The humiliation of the morning and the terror of the afternoo