Blake" Fa

ack Mercedes, the leather cool against my skin, and tracked the city lig

pavement and flickering streetlight

y, a fortress of glass and steel. The doormen in

elevator that ascended with a

yes. I kept my expression blank, made myself small. He saw a child,

slid open directly

ere sh

l Se

Tall and slender, with hair the color of midnight and eyes that were

of wine in her hand, and regarded me with the un

n," she said, her vo

laughing in the background of th

who made others

hought." He fawned over her, kissing her che

rd me. "Karel, t

She offered no greeting, no smile. I was a ghost from a past he was

my mind a whirring calculator. I cataloged everything: the expensive art on the walls, the loc

pire, searching for

studio, a bright, airy sp

oice thick with adoration. "A torment

ng hall, a small, windowless space that fel

within

father's face. He saw the stark contrast b

out a thick fold of cash, pressing i

said gruffly. "W

was hush money. An

closing around the bills. The first

to survive him. It w