wing inside the safehouse. Rain crashed against the windows

ed in front of Isabella, shieldi

be alive," Gray

rised you didn't stay

entirely different fires. The air between them crackled, not ju

, Langford," Emilio said,

e. "Then why the h

truth. Because if you're going to risk everythin

ds themselves were bullets. B

ga," she said quietly.

froze.

ur father tortured her. Had her locked away for

en them. "No. I thou

t underground years ago, changed my name, erased my h

" Grayson asked,

you... but I fell for y

nce reigned. Only

o's voice

helped her vanish.

eyes narro

her. "Until she f

d a flickering table lamp

idential documen

it la

ife unfolded on the

said. "Sofia sent her away before Langford's men r

g the empire down from th

y. But then I met you. And I didn't

stood, r

ed. "Sex trafficking, blackmail, political leverage. And Sofia...

ked up. "Th

a flash drive

hi

otage. Girls. Young. Frig

s stomac

Prague. Underground. Untraceable.

can just walk in

id. "But we can

ed in the hour

in shadow. The city pulsed below, a t

inst the wall, arms crossed, bo

t to lie to y

you

ecting myse

eyes sharp.

rward. Slowly.

m choos

gh, desperate, full of the betrayal still bleeding between

d glass, climbed into his lap,

you," he growle

you d

I wan

me like y

d

, bruises on each other's skin, and

't forg

as n

was

came, the p

find Sofia. They would destroy Max

a blacked-out SUV. The GPS pulsed a

an get us inside. But once we're in,

liar," Grays

rward. "What aren'

o hes

ne of the guards inside the compou

Grayso

my bro

d. "Wait-you never tol

told you," Emilio said

eyes

hunger. Stil

tched them

fell int

, everythi

d down in Prag

ssed th

em at the edge

ussian.

" Emili

him on bo

you, I see," she said, glan

burner phone, a keycard

once you're inside. After tha

ofia?" Isa

t level. Maxi

weapon. "Then we'd b

a fortress disguised as

eras. Guards in

tility tunnel beneath the e

bella's breath fogged as she mov

nly-v

behind a sta

lked past, ta

whispere

Silently to

ard, jabbing the oth

pled to t

d at them

d?" Gray

etting

deeper into the

Sofia in a

Her wrists bruised. Bu

ij

efore Isabella

am

nd she ran to her, fell

od guard, w

noticed the flicker

out o

ned to

e minutes befo

help Sofia. She s

y echoed w

milio s

hots firing

e. A

t into the cold

t all

stayed

la saw was him turnin

he compoun

hours later, Isabella

s weak b

e doorway, shirt unbuttoned,

alked to h

sk. She did

into bed l

, it wasn

sn't

s sur

her slow

arted, welco

inside her li

s tangled i

wallowed by

held her like he finall

oss the

tood before a mirror,

si

her

f Isa

a third

iv

ger

ring with th

smi

waken the