still cold, but the atmosphere

eated Vesper like a piece of furniture tha

Vesper hadn't touched. He didn't look up from his

e mug. "I thought we wer

lian said, his voice

on the table l

er. The head of the family trust

was in Europe,

e trust disbursement." Julian looked at her then, his eyes critical. "Wear

e a monster,"

psychopath with a checkbook. Don't speak to him unless he asks

e a high-necked, long-sleeved dress in

her jewelry box. Her fingers

pa

. The solitaire stud

e. The other

tically emptied the small box onto the marble coun

ear

e checked her purse. She c

as g

her stomach. She must ha

diamond stud. It wasn't personalized. It

tions. He knew every piece of jewelry he had bought her

outed from the foye

lone diamond stud deep into a drawer. She slid the heavy sapphi

her mind racing with anxiety, unaware she

-