RY

stepfather's house in Chestnut Hill. I ne

r, he simply handed me a black, heavy-stock business ca

," Collier said, "I'll be

ou," and walked toward the oppressiv

oor. Her eyes widened with a mixture

psister, Haleigh, were sitting on a plush white sofa, sipping tea. Th

wn. "You're back," she said, her voice dripping with disdai

nocent concern. "Avery, you look terrible. The day

sy made me

glass coffee table with a deliberate thud, l

's mine. The documents for the 15% share in the Ve

ery," she said, adopting her haughty, society-matron tone, "we ha

gh. "Oh, I completed it. Just no

rriage certificate, and slapped it down

eigh stared at the document a

, her voice a shrill shriek. "

. All they needed to know was that I was already marrie

nsane, Avery! Do you know that Mr. Preston Sterling has agreed to invest in

the disastrous union, caused by my last-minute change of mind,

detached calm. "That was just your pla

ill before he died. After I get married, I will have the right to i

o marry me before I get these

ring gaze held her back. She couldn't afford a scene in the G

, retrieved a folder and a set of keys, a

m up. I turn

IER

t a street corner with a clear view

ertips. I kept seeing her eyes from last night. The way she'd looked when she s

y grandfather, A

ed the car. "Kid, I heard you took

e. "Your intel is as g

denying it. "And

rupted, so loud I had to pull the phone from my ear. "That's my boy! Fi

e. "Her name is Velasquez," I

oughtful, intrigued. "Velasquez? The boutique hotel

my cigarette. "She's a

to see me soon. And make sure she's not getti

fingers over the cover, and scanning the names and dates

waiting for this mom

gate. Her back was ramrod straight, like a sma

arette out and st

wering the passenger window. I raised an ey

d in, and tossed the folder and keys onto the dashboard. She le