hrough the glass towers of the financial district, doing nothing to warm her. Every bump in the road sent a jolt of

could the night before, washing the blood off her skin and trying to smooth down her tangled hair. But she still looked

ine crash had left her shaky and drained, mak

rict. Caroline paid the driver and stepped out onto the sidewalk. The cafe w

smell of roasted beans and pastry filled the air. It was a st

r the window, surrounded by three other men in identical suits

et dragging. She felt like s

't pull out a chair. He just gestured to the empty seat across from him with his coffee cup.

eing Caroline with a mix

the seat uncomfortable. She looked at P

an eyebrow. "Don't you ha

ords tasting like ash in her mout

"You know, Caroline, I had to pay the bill. The whole bil

Caroline said,

I had to cover the rest. And the tip." He shook his head. "It's fine

she can take your blood pressure, P

ned back to Caroline. "So, what's the excuse today? Or

blinked

ng since you sat down. It's rude. I'm trying to have a conversatio

ise in the cafe was too loud, the lights too brigh

another time," she said,

e cups rattled. "We do this now. You wanted a second chance,

ually thought his little coffee date was more

he said, the words slipping o

paused

ow. "A man tried to kill my patient. He held a scalpe

exchanged uncomfortable glances. Presto

he la

ing his head. "That's a new one. I've heard some crazy excuses to get out of

d, her hands clenching into fists

esident. Look, if you didn't want to see me, you could have j

and pulled the gauze off her neck, revealing the angry

ardened. "That could be from anything. You probably just scratched yourself shaving." He leane

in her entire life. She had just shown him a wound fro

was

ou're right, Preston. You're not an idiot. You're just a narc

turned red. "

I apologized because I was trying to keep the peace. But I am done. I am done pr

Preston grabbed her arm, his

ere," he snarled. "Not

, trying to pull her arm free

ey

It cut through the noise of

niform. His face was pale, his jaw set in a hard line, and a sheen of sweat glistened on his forehead despite the cafe's air conditioning. His right arm was in a heavy bla

e's arm, stepping back.

eyes sweeping over her face, then down to her arm where Presto

reston. The look in

said, his voice quiet and deadly

o bluster. "This is a private

He was a full head taller, and he used every inch of that

d fury in his eyes, and seemed to decide that his pride wasn't worth

it anyway." He turned to his f

escape the tension. Preston shot Caroline one la

pounding. She looked up at Romer

u doing here

ack pocket and pulled out his wallet. He pulled out

urned and walked toward the door, pa

y a second. Then she follo