cold, empty penthouse. Haskell wasn't there. Everything rem

the dressing table, the diam

stared at it for a few seconds befo

the refrigerator. It was empty. She had

n, stopped for a simple lunch, and spent a few more hours aimlessly passing the time. By the time she wen

started preparing dinner. This time, she didn't make the dishes

gain. Julissa had al

past eight. Then

touched, slowly

across from her. She picked up he

e seconds before dia

ime. Just as she was about

Behind him was the sound of laughter and c

for dinner?" Julissa asked

e said, the s

ere?" sh

other end."Julissa, I am not obliga

tly accepting that this was the

s side of the call. Clear and sweet, it carried a p

read me a story?

dd

issa's eardrum and shattered every defense

d trembled violently as she gripped the phone

iately went quiet. He had clearly moved to

is voice was sudden

lip, hard, to keep from making a sound. T

started to explain, then stopped

and cruel. "Don't get any idea

that, h

d voice answered. "The subscriber you ha

mb fingers and fell onto the

. Everythin

nt, heavy tears streamed down her face, breaking free like a dam that coul

n't lost to Anastasia. She had lost to Haskell's h

lliantly. But inside the apartment, the world Juli