heir faces impassive, their intentions clear. I was helpless,

n't need to. Their presence

to g

for an escape. The wind

nged for the edge of the bed. I pushed myself off, landing hard on my good leg. The impact s

ragging my useless leg behind me,

o drag me back to the bed. I fought back with the despe

mbled the last few feet to the window and, without a second

to get

the room above. They

a fresh wave of torture. My vision swam. I was

old brick wall, gasping for breath, my body on the verge of collapse. I had t

heard the sc

rom the ranch, swerved into

ius, and Jef

asked, his voice laced with false co

hey weren't there to help me. Th

ry step. I stumbled out of the alley and into the s

as the blare of a horn a

dark

was a struggle. The doctor told me the list of my injuries was long: multiple fra

re, of course. They sat by my bedside,

ce thick with emotion. "You just ran ou

stop in time," Darrius added somb

ht the concussion had wiped my memory clea

t them, my eyes

w they would. They had to maintain th

ly healing. When I was finally discharged, they

y penthouse. When I wal

y were sitting on my sofa, in my liv

ere?" I asked, my voi

his expression col

at. "My beautiful diamond necklace. It's gone. I think... I think so

e, her eyes ful

ur necklace," I s

epping forward as if to defend me. "Aza

y. A ridiculous,

yes burning with a cold fire. "I'm going to find that n

hat!" Darrius p

" Alexande

d tearing my home apart. They overturned furnitur

of trying to stop them. "Alexander,

see who could appear the most loyal to

ction, a cold calm settling over me. Th

o Alexander. "This is pointless. Let's settle this like me

erly predictabl

e five of them left, heading for their expensi

rt out, and he would lose. He would come back, defeate

be left wi

l upright and laughed. A dry, broken soun

a what they had