RA'S

dy had promised. By dusk, the boys had taken us to a r

oticed Wendy wa

t something that wasn't funny. When I

eed

you," Wendy sa

RA'S

before work. I showered, pulled on a white mini dress

room feel like a held breath. Officially, I was a receptionist. Unofficially, I was the reason customers left having order

ing compliments from boys my age. Flirting with custome

ing, flowers between the plates and

. Is everythi

r," the woman

ng somethi

versary," the man

oze for hal

anniversary. And I hadn'

tired of feeling trapped in a life that never seemed to fit me. Bu

I managed. "Hap

in. Still nothing. I walked to the passage by the entrance, where rain hammered

wouldn'

" I lowered

the black car outs

tinted so heavily they showed nothing bu

ine. Coincidence. Maybe. But

ement behind the

s, Xandra," I whispered

. I took an umbrella and

o seeing her waiting at the curb. Tonight the curb was emp

orm, p

, and my fingers tightened

at neat intervals, there were more. Five. Six. A

y empty, and the air fe

decide

thing moved behind one of the tinte

black stepped out. The

't looking

iking the pavement. Behind me, footsteps

spered. "This

he main road, and two men stepped out in front of

rou

u want? Who

ans

it's not funny. I do

. I got three steps before another man caught me. I fought, kicked, and screamed, unt

swallowe

ything we

RA'S

ing I notice

m smelled faintly of something clean and unfamilia

ling for a few seco

't my ap

aring my white dress anymo

turned over

ed and went for the d

ope

as une

olished floors and towering walls, more mansion than home

he rail, into a grand hall with a huge front

the handle

th

harder.

No, n

as if that might change somethi

Is anyon

ough the empty hall

ody please

ngs in my life. I'd made mistakes. I'd walked away from home without

ME

d behind me, slo

od a few feet away, watching

u? What is

walking toward me. I back

m, but he caught my arm, and a handkerchief pressed over m

ag

my last

RA'S

I woke, I was

ad, throwing long shadows. I was tied to a chair, with two

got to be

y rea

t to work, did my job, and now I'm here! I d

white handkerchief from his po

? Apparently silence was t

rn, composing insults that wou

door straightened. "

t once. Backs straighten

st I'd finally meet wh

o had the ease of people who'd never been refused anything. One wore sunglasses in

ked at me,

eatures, the maddeningly calm expression. The ma

people in

man who'd frightened everyone near him without raising his voice. And now,

were something he'd been waiting to see. Then he reach

y. He raised

under different circumstance

handkerchief

I said, low and

ehind him shifte

t? I know I spilled a drink on you at the club, but it

en holding my arms let go, and I stood and rubbed

let m

N

N

N

h slipped out. "You

perfectl

was a breath from h

I have qu

ask

wil

'll answer, pr

qui

d. "What do you

th an attention that made my skin

ant

couldn't believ

pat in h

took a sharp step forward. Without even looking,

his cheek with

gratulations. You've met someone who does

amusement had gone out of his face, and what re

and didn't

id quietly, "what you've

about to say t

r of us moved. Then he tu

hesit

ow

ed, and I was alone with the mo

u're playing I wa

it when they came in. It was

if he hadn't just had me dragged into a locked room. "You'll learn

earn I can't

angerous smile came ba

my name made my

told him

you know

e glass d

N

sn't a r

one of

He studied me, then gave a small nod, as though

eadable eyes, and how much he seemed to know about me while I

't let h

here. And how do

your life got a great deal more compl

der rolled ac

been about a spilled drink. Not entirely. Whatever Wyatt want