a's

ightening for a moment with anxiety. The city

felt different. The s

no more time before the bot

rivate townhouse in the cente

d any mistakes.

y door, I climbed out the car t

here was Noah, tumbler of amber liquid in his hand, his

in that bow-in-my-shadow voice

my back straight. "Why d

ot leaving mine for a second. "Sebastian Knight is about to fall in

, tightening my arms against m

e is vulnerable. More than you know. And with the r

ategist planning chess moves instead of a corp

my own

m down just like that?" I

y more dangerous

his drink. He put the glas

closer to me, his voice dropping lower. "I have something that

iffe

do you

between his fingers like some kind of trophy. "Everything he's hiding, all his offsh

night won't just lose his com

ickening. This was it. The w

ing my revenge. But something about the way No

I asked, my voice wary. "

ou'll use it. And because when this is all ov

ing desire to destroy Sebastian and the na

wer that little drive held. If

d coldly, "What do

commit, Zara. No more playing both sides. You choose me, o

g its toll on me for too long now, teetering between Noah and Sebastia

id, I couldn't d

-

tian'

out over the city. The glass of Scotc

g me and now she was with Noah. M

hovering over my shoulder like a vulture,

him pieces of my world, little

ow I

lass on the desk and the liqu

trayed me

ook me from my spiralling thoughts. I looke

her," he said,

ded, already kno

with No

smile crept onto

thinking several steps ahead, dete

, and now she would have

needed to d

red, my voice low. "It's ti

-

a's

drive in Noah's ha

uld end

down Sebastian on

y gut like there was som

ash from downstairs and my heart jumped into my

hat?" I whispered, f

e moved toward the door, his m

I could tell from his v

o thump up the staircase. Noah reached in

epping toward him. "

the door flung open and there was

him turned my

the venom in his voice almost audible. "You

, but Sebastian didn't flinch. He was too f

Sebastian said, his voice low and danger

t thick, and from all sides I could feel

with a twist to his lips that seemed part amused and

as in motion, faster than I'd believed possible. He knocked

Noah slammed against the wall, his forearm across his throat.

able to control my voice.

re lost. Lost in the world o

appen next that I would be rig