. The echo of her own footsteps against the cobblestone street felt heavier than usual, as

her phone. The anonymous mess

e, Ava. Get out

thud in her ears. The streetlights flic

it? And

oo precise. First, Ethan buys

cide

a ch

nto her pocket. She refused to let

sleek black car pulled up beside the curb. The tinted

voice was smoo

You've got to

ubbing his jaw. "Ju

loat some more? Tell me how you'r

not

eath h

lmost the same

ering toward the street behind her

her to run, to push back, to

en she

dling. The windows were too dark to see inside, b

hesi

nd pushed open the pas

please th

lid i

t. The moment it did

tween them. Ava kept her hands clenched in her lap, refusing

me where we're g

'll

glare. "Cryptic

s fingers tightened around the

arage of a high-rise hotel-the Hawthorne Grand,

augh. "Let me guess

the engi

urse y

of the car, rounding to her side an

ce clearly thinning. "You

him sharply.

s. "I don't know who sent that message, but

hy do you suddenly c

ite everything, I still-" He stopped himsel

scoffed. "After w

adable flickering in his eyes. "You r

d. "I don't have to

d. "Then I guess we have

ok her wrist-gently, but firmly

back, walk away, refuse

ng Ethan wasn't the only ghost from he

fied her more

closed behind them, Av

er me

there was o

un