heir. If I could not have his loyalty, I would

safehouse on the edge of the city. The blood money

himself, claiming he wanted to tell me the

smile and assured him he had nothing to fear. I promise

ay. I felt his eyes on my back, a burnin

t in that house. I refuse

own inward, and a draft of cold hallway air snaked into the

having easily bypassed the armed guards who

with that bastard child?" sh

and staircase, looking down

rmela mocked, stepping onto the first stair. "A ch

op landing, looking down as she

declared fiercely. "It has no

is study on the ground floor and began ascend

er coldly. "Draft a contract stripping y

teeth. She raised a

ed up and intercepte

ing a whore!" Ca

he does not look back," Xander s

mistress forever!"

ing closer to the edge. "She merely secured the

p the final step and vici

m the polished edge

e backward into the steep, e

om just below. His hand sh

im look at his mother, a flash

hand back, making the choice to let me fall to p

s. Pain exploded through my spine and my sto

rmela frantically grabbing her hair while pul

te bed. The monitors beeped

y stomach. It was fl

ngs were stacked on the bedside table

indow, his elbows on his knees

rough. "I am sorry. I could not risk it dest

tears. Just a hollow cavity in my chest, a spac

dered, my voice