artition between the driver and the passenger cabin was

the highway. He was holding an ice pack from the car's mini-fridge against hi

t. She had kicked off her h

hone

at it. Elea

She didn't have the ener

Eleanor's voice

Victor

nic. It's on the entry table. Make

e

und committee meets in six weeks. If there is no announ

and, Vict

hung

e other side of the seat.

e efficient, I'll give you that.

Julian. We both want

e money, he sai

investments before he took over the family conglomerate. But the family trust hel

he shares,

, dead things. Is that what you tell yourself whe

was a microscopic mo

you sleep at

g open. They drove up the long, winding driveway lined with ancie

d. The driver

't wait for her. He walked up

She held a silver tray with a ceramic bowl on it. The

reeted them. Her eyes darted bet

ht past her. I'm

d at Victoria. M

ht it to her lips and drank it in one go. It tasted vile. Like

ou, Mrs

ck and walked up the grand s

nous room, decorated in shades of cream and gr

wasn'

ned the water up as hot as she could stand it. She scrubbed her skin until it was pink, trying to wa

shed aside her comfortable flannel pajamas and reached f

p. It was sheer, uncomfort

back into t

weatpants, no shirt. He was standing by

enter and t

heat flare again. The same heat from the club. But the

you doing

back the duvet. I'm doing my job, Julia

the edge

barking sound. You think I'm g

hour ago, Victo

ook a sip of his drink. A moment

She swallowed it down. Julian, please.

rd the bed. He loomed over h

she aske

t the lace, at her bare shoul

ul, Victoria,

t skippe

You're hollow. You're just a vessel wait

h into the fireplace. The flam

d walked tow

ng? Victoria aske

with your checkbook. It'll

oor s

e of the king-sized bed. The la

her arms around them. She didn't cry. She had p

and should have been, and wondered how much longe