Through t

t racing as the slip of paper pressed tightly against her palm,

ing." was like a r

mind, mingling with the scatter

now what was happening to her? This

ea on her nightstand. How many

over. How much of her life had

ngers to her templ

eyond the past few months, her mind bl

needed them before Rowel e

ht of Hi

found Rowel waiting fo

r inside but she couldn't do anything about

table, a vision of control, his blac

of tea sat in

ered looking

rink any

eet his gaze. Did he kn

's voice was smooth

all nod. "Yes

like a puzzle he was trying to sol

s under the table as she t

y, he is trying to watch o

ade one wrong move-he

d a smile.

his fingers tapping absently a

d the teacup

pulse sk

a silent de

she defy him? Of cour

s she reached for the

she refused? Would h

creamed do

Rowel suddenly leaned forwar

ed, his voice too

eath s

e, he did, he's j

he knew she was hes

is fingers pressing into her skin-not enough to h

d, his voice barel

d. A dar

perat

ouldn't refuse outright. At that point, she knew she

thing she could thin

over the cup, spilling the tea acro

silence

d to steel his fingers closed a

breath s

n him this still

w, control

e said, his voice

oom had changed, it

is gaze seemed to pie

a moment of safety-but

she struggled hard to keep her tho

ea incident, but his silence was wor

or sure She could feel it l

r spine, staring at the ceiling, the darkness s

door. She turned sharply, but the door was still shut. Or was it? He

shadow slicing through the gap. A breathless second passed.

o a knot, a cold dread

memories. Was she imagining this?

her body screaming in warning. The floorboards

could all be over. But if she did nothi

n, she h

arely audibl

Through t

rds burning into her mind like a promise. "Don't drink anythin

he already drunk it? How much of her life had been erased, sip by sip? She fell into a

n. His black shirt was crisp, his demeanor unreadable. But Kelly saw som

's voice was smooth

lied, her p

oo sharp, too knowing. Then,

churned. "Don't

ng it to her lips. But it felt like

e locked onto hers. "Go on."

test. And she was failing..failing

ush against her lips. She didn't have to drink it-just

llow..letting the liquid pool in her mouth

long silence stretched betw

d. A slow, da

he murmured

ad he believed her? Or was he simply

rinth of

her mind racing. What if the tea was already inside he

ustration mounting, she felt a presence in the r

nding in the shadows, watching

ng memories. Was she imagining t

ly slid out of bed, her bare feet bar

er was low, faint, right

er body stiffened, her bre

ined it? Or was this proof that s

licked shut. Sl

eart beat so loud that she wa

s sure she hadn't. Someone ha

t-Someone had

he moved away from the door,

echoed in he

d. Rowel's presence was everyw

help her. Or were they leading

s too late for her to discover the re

agerness and determination within her. No matt

ndset, she took her first s