, and crystal chandeliers that didn't match the sins already soaked into the walls. It

oor behind them and

nter of the room, soaked

files. Since her mother's face haunted that fold

nd, his hands sliding along

n gone for

now than we'

ng him. "What if it's n

dn't

se he

just about

secrets. Powe

d

he bar, Emilio w

hidden in his sleeve. His jaw clenched when h

as up

ayson L

curled in

this far to l

orn with a silver

he still

want

very moan, every l

Isabella

r sedu

cont

lking naked across the suite. Grayson's eyes followed every ste

t touch

wat

mething ha

ween them-bu

come thin. Fragil

s," she sai

kno

ossed

led hi

liberate. Her lips parted around him, warm and wet

n't just s

was

as e

a cou

led him right there in the armcha

let m

r hips, thrus

ev

ndows

ndelier

corners, and when they came, it was toge

lent alert flashing red on

d it ten min

eady in th

wasn'

morning b

ess, sipping coffee, his thoughts ta

is robe, eyes half-li

idn't

't ne

ernaya 12... it's a blacksite. Not just a loca

re," h

wly. "Informat

to face

hey want fr

t answer

ftly: "T

tilled. "

im, broken and unb

n the vault... b

mach turned.

way

oved lik

sing cameras and silent

enthouse level j

into his

nown, faceless, loya

not compromised?

said. "She only burns

pped f

knoc

lla f

k wasn't

s already grabbing the gun hi

ched the do

ed through t

eath c

it?" Isab

ost

pene

eather jacket soaked

lla saw him, h

ili

pped i

pau

issed

didn't

t

said everything h

Histor

voice was hard. "We need to t

the glass table. The tension

id. "She sent a message. Through

chip acros

A cipher. A signature phra

ered he

. About the vault. About

ed at G

lla didn'

ng. He's not

d, voice low. "Then

knew he

said n

urled into fists

e have less than 48 hours before they reloca

d up. "Then w

ised a br

od, voice st

plan was chaos

n the riverbank, patrolled by private military,

ded a di

vers

crif

a was willi

napped. "They w

alive. They just

his eyes. "You s

gaze, then

ve to

g, dusty and cracked. The velvet seats were m

a crimson gown split hi

ounded her

ted her

e for my

grabb

toward the l

he sm

rs... the bomb

d Emilio were

untdow

ell lit memories she'd tried to bury.

s the

oved her agai

of the

ng at

lo

n-he wh

abe

fr

e the

nc

peak again-gunfire

los

re

g fell in

bo

lped her sli

r's alive.

e

nd Emilio tore throu

de, barely

ht broke out in t

ets

hit in the si

m, dragged him be

u o

been w

e's wor

his teeth. "

rose-and k

reached

ck was

a pin from her dres

or swu

in

wo

Pale. B

ia

rned s

ered, "Is

urred ev

m and threw her arm

ave t

other pul

s s

ime. You have

oared dow

appeared, covered i

bella choked. "We'r

already shak

don't und

ed into h

ed a

is what they

the light

y sirens

ercom, a new

hem. Kill

slammed shu