g, Francisca finally pushed open the door to her family's cramped apartmen

pulled out and contents dumped onto the flo

ng sofa, nervously clutching a small velvet bo

ward like a rabid dog. "You ungrateful li

lapels of Francisca's oversized tre

irt underneath. The collar was slightly askew, exposing the angry red and

f some wild man! No wonder Mr. Thorne called us in a rage! You ran out on a billion

ice-cold. She looked past Monica's scree

ow, trembling whisper. "You knew he was goin

om yesterday was completely gone. In his eyes, there was on

r fifty million dollars so you could pay off your offshore gambling debts and set up a trust fund for Tiffany Jennings! Your precious stepdaughter is flying fir

delicate girl; she needs financial security for her future. And Darwin... well, Darwin brought his mess upon himself. But Silas is a generous man.

ized word for being sol

e of nauseating betrayal washing over her. "I'm

instantly turned vicious. He flip

ther's locket. The only thing she had managed to save when the feds seize

anded, her voice crackin

ave us one last chance. Tonight. The Vault nightclub. You go to his VIP room, get on

d in from the kitchen, her eyes gleaming w

at the man who had sired her. Her heart, already fractured, shatte

r voice vanished, replaced by a dead, chi

nd pocketing it. "Don't try anything stupid, F

d into her tiny bedroom, l

er bed. It was left over from when Darwin was still home, before

nge and a vial of high-grade, potent sedative. A last re

rel, capped the needle, and slipped it

chest ache with the sheer, terrifying memory of the man from last night. She folded it away and put on a high-necked

d a smile. It didn't look like submis

to play in hell, I'll

ouse office of Adams Tower, t

a lit cigar resting between his long fingers. The maddening static in hi

stood a respectful distance

ars to fund his stepdaughter's luxury lifestyle and clear his own gambling debts, leaving her brother to rot in prison," Liam reported,

abyssal black brewing within them

touch what belonged to him. The very thought made

ously. "Thorne's methods in his private rooms

igar into the marble ashtray. A cru

ritone that sent chills down Liam's spine. "I want t

suit jacket. "Get the car.

of The Vault. The neon sign buzzed lik

" she told the massiv

, a filthy, knowing sneer on his f

htly her knuckles turned white. The plastic barrel of the hidde

ulsing corridor, stepping s