ravel crunching under the tires. Rain had started to fall, fat dr

arted out from the s

. Eveline was thrown forward, th

ance muttered from

f the road, her expensive gown soaked, ba

ndow. "Mrs. Miles, get o

ck door and threw herself inside, bringing

arm. Her nails dug into the flesh. "What did you do i

. Her stomach was still doing

from the seat and dumped the contents

up the phone.

m,

eline's face for the FaceID. It unlocked. Hessie's fingers flew

ie read, her eyes wid

the car w

face twisting from anger to horror,

ant." It wasn

ispered, tears leaking fro

shaking her. "Is it that bar

't say his name. If Hessie knew it was Fulton, she would

matter," Eve

t finds out you have a bastard child, we lose everyth

mirror. His face was impassive, but Evel

e composed herself, smoothing her wet hair.

rm. "There's no need for the hospital. Eveline just had too much c

ched his earpiece. Evel

"But Mr. Horn expects a

rse, of

he main gate and toward the smaller, darke

side Eveline's bedroom,

ing the floor. "Tomorrow. We find

tomach. A strange, fierce protectiveness surged

he said

at Eveline as if she had grown a

aid

. "Fine. Keep it. But yo

ghtstand and tapped furiously. S

n Mont

smiling, blonde-haired man holding a fencing

pion. And he's stupid enough to believe in love at f

can't be

ek," Hessie said, her eyes gleaming with greed. "You marry him. We tell every

again. "Fulton wil

sie snapped. "He's marrying Janiya!

hone buzzed

own. A text

says you refus

fingers hovered over t

came through

8:00 AM sharp. Be late, and I

's furious! You have to go. You have to be perfect. And for God's sake, don't

her knees to her chest. Outside, thu

ther who wanted to sell her a

the dark, stormy night, a d

he would be a Montgomery. Fulton wouldn't be her t

uld be