a Monr

tly metallic. Jasper Kane was too close, his presence a wall of heat in the suffocating space. My pulse slammed ag

here, if he knew I had been in his office-

htly, grounding me. His breath fanned ag

neath the door. He was close. Too close. The world held its breath. Seconds stretched into eternity. My lungs

Calloway's movements disappeared into the distance. His fingers loose

g panic, I swallowed har

sion darkened.

Containment Measures.'" The words tasted bitter. "It

ling around his frame. "The

"And do what? Pretend I didn't see what I sa

ble. "They're powerful, Valeria. People like t

me. Maybe they did. But fear

g the cool air of the hallway. The dim lights cast long

gering close behind. "You have no

his stare head-on. "Then

tched, something heavy simm

haled sharply. "Th

s not

er his breath. "Meet me tomorrow night. The Rusted Nail.

e, but a single thought burned through th

-

r Kan

nged. Dimly lit, with the scent of whiskey and old leather soaked into th

und a glass of water. She looked out of place-too polished, too caut

m her, I set my beer on the tabl

hin slightly. "Y

er of my mouth. "Figured y

energy radiating from her. "You said I needed more th

ou think you're in control of this, but you're not. These people? They don't just make

d. "Then I need

xpected. Most people backed down when thing

g through my messages before sliding it across t

lloway's name listed under several transactions. Large

tened around the phone

ly. "And if Calloway's getting paid o

onto mine. "Then we find out

ea what she was ge

eason, I wasn'

-

ria's

uiet, the city humming in the distance. My mind raced through everything Jasper ha

dly steady despite the storm unraveling

been replaced by something sharpe

aped him. "That m

d from the alleyway ahead. My steps fa

e shifted, aler

dows, slow and calculated. Th

n my body st

d on me. Cold. Assess

s lips felt l

elf between us. "Don't think she's in

ked on mine. "Curiosity is a

ists. "So is underestima

face before vanishing. "Stay out

between his fingers be

warn

uickly as he had appeared. Jasper bent, scooping

handed it to me. "Still don't t