came to, feeling a dull ache in h

head-a sofa. With a groan, she rubbed her temples and

" A commanding voice pi

here she'd heard that voice before. She

e piercing gaze in those eyes shattered any sense of beauty, making them instead terrifyingly intense. A straight nose, thin lips, and a perfectly sculpte

nd was momentarily stunned. The sedative was still clouding he

table-it looked more like an office than

in, thinking, Has prison ho

w another person standing next to the sofa, watching her with a

s widened in recognition.

n eyebrow but

if he was here, then this must be the Dark Family's territory. The thought sent her hea

ght of Hawk had jolted her mind awak

just a sofa-it wa

as standing and this guy was sitting, then

old, unforgiving expressio

nodding as she casually stood up a

Ryan Dark, a notorious crime lord known

y, but the intense stare that felt like it could bore holes thr

t cause any more trouble, and now you go and kidnap me? What's the deal? Or is the Dark family, kings of the

pond, Ryan, still sitting on the couch with that icy demeanor, s

inst the couch, legs casually crossed. He didn't have to do anything, an

ess with your stuff? Mr. Ryan, even if you gave me ten lives, I wouldn't dare touch your things. I

ho's exaggerated look of innocence

fiantly. She didn't have anything incriminating on her, so they couldn't pin this on h

tared at her. He reached to the sid

She recognized that scarf-it wa

uby is

en if she tried. It was the last piece she'd stolen before retiring. But no one had mentioned it belong

the wrong person." She quickly ran through her mental checklist. She hadn't

t a cold snort, not

stinctive scent was. And, unfortunately for the thief, the scarf they wore ended up in our hands. Echo, on

rind in frustration. Just her luck-the scarf had to land in their car. I

shine-scented perfume; it got her into this

rganization was the mantis, and Mr. Ryan turned out to be the oriole. The Theft Organization thought they were smart, using the Dark family's possessions to lure her o

ddenly stood up and started walking toward her. Her eyes filled with caut

ke a mountain, radiating menace. She kept retreating

something tightened around her neck. A powerful hand yanked her up, and for a moment,

mber that," Mr. Ryan said coldly, his hand st