t of Axel's cedarwood cologne slowly faded, repla

wn a desolate back alley, far away from the glittering lights o

d photograph of her mother, Vanessa Sterling. She had just le

feet. The stiff leather of her cheap heels rubbed her heels

ainst a brick wall covered in graffiti. She be

er inside the alley. It sounded li

up. Her heart instantly shifte

ouch, hiding her body behind a massive

lly peeked her head around the

fat man in a loud floral shirt was on his knees. The gr

ot and tears ran down his face as he bowed repeatedly, beggi

aling dress. She had both hands over her fa

ll, lean young man in a sha

ace. In his right hand, he held a black G

rd. He simply raised the g

instantly. A dark red hole appeared right between her eyebrow

l. He scrambled on his hands and knees,

the barrel slightly and fired two

the wet ground, then lay completely

n the hot wind. Chloe's stomach churned violently. She slapped bo

her grip. The heavy urn and the

de of the metal dumpster. In the dead silence of th

d his head toward the dumpster. His eyes locke

ole of the barrel pointed direct

te barked, his voic

er ribs so hard it hurt. She kne

agged breath. She forced her panic down,

he reached up and pulled the black hairpins from her head, l

yes, letting her vision blur until everything beca

harp pain to keep her face blank. Stumbling sli

waved her free hand in the air in front of her,

directly toward Dante. "Did my