ace, trying to wash away the panic. Her phone vibrated on the counter-a frantic message from the nanny: Leo's fever had spiked to 104; he had just

d the grime from her bleeding soles with damp paper towels and slid her feet into a pair of oversized, disposable ho

down her ruined gray suit, and wa

sed. His dark eyes locked onto her the second she crossed the thr

er mouth to de

f instantly. He pointed a long finger at

from the pitch-black liquid inside. It was a double shot of espr

arlisle said. His voice was smooth, but it carr

ack coffee. Her stomac

fee. Just the smell of it made her nauseous. If she drank it, h

fe, Chloe, throw up after accidentally

ward. This was a

e was hiding something. If she drank it and

of the hospital room felt li

n his knees. "What is wrong, Zoe? Are you afr

as a direct

lying in the pediatric ward just down the hall. She could not l

fraction of a second, bu

her fingers around the hot ceramic mug. Her knuckl

nk. He watched her e

her head back and poured the scalding, bitter

oss her tongue. It burned down her esophagu

mach violently convulsed. A massive

ning a sickly, translucent white. She

th tore through the skin. The sharp, piercing pain flared in her head, battling the overwhelming urge

ng. Her entire body trembled under the str

ffee. He watched her face turn white. He waited for h

did

in his eyes. The absolute certainty he felt just moments ago began

s to curve into a st

Vanderbilt," she rasped. Her vo

een them in two strides. He reached out and grabbed her

er nose, yet the spacing of her eyes-that rare, haunting proportion-still felt like a ghost of the woman he knew. He sear

p, stabbing pain. Cold sweat beaded on her forehe

the door shatte

and the faint bloodstain seeping through the fabric, but the tension radiating from Carlisle made him d

had been burned. He turned away, running a hand thr

e. "I will go wash th

eramic cup and bo

ublic restroom open. She threw herself into the nearest

and stomach acid burned her throat. She gripped the edges of the por

. Tears leaked from her eyes, mixing with the sweat on her face.

doctor checking his pulse. He stared at the empt

rom his pocket. He di

are what it costs. Break through whatever firewalls you have