a pothole, and a lance of w

lip, tasting copper, desper

he road was a p

d on Chlo

ck turne

abil

de my skull, louder than

c I rarely heard from him. He was driving like a man possessed,

darting to the rearview mirror. "I have

ad pressed to my neck. The fabric was already

e a favor. A big one. Jax's reach is long, but t

ci

ld co

the darkness rushi

into a f

crystal chandelier was falli

e, it wasn't

holding

ered a cold, regretf

up sc

The acrid bite of jet fuel burn

by the steps of a Gulfstream. H

r. The movement sent fresh sho

s wrist with whatever feeble strength I had left. My

set in granite. "He broke the code ton

ly a whisper. "I need eyes here

t me. He saw the

s for the crew was gone.

" Ben promised, his voice dropping to a vow

er in a room that smelle

encased in

aged tight, the

an older man with kind eyes b

nted English. "The cut on your neck... two millimet

me a han

, my fing

ale, mottled

he ne

ran from just under my e

as u

s per

d apologetically, clasping his

ed the

oice was a rasp, shr

oo

e never to be

burner phone on

ed with

akdown. Says you ran away because you couldn't han

one hand, the ke

him

ir on the terrace, looking out at the gli

d these few days just to ensure the security deta

I checked the security logs. The chandelier supports were cut manually. And Jax... he knew. I

od ran

ust that he

e attack w

rificed me. Just to solidify h

just let m

red the st

down at

ere sh

from

m r

adultera

than the shattere

ers talking about lo

s all

y wrapper fo

myself b

phone immediatel

vvy

artist," I said

What? You're s

gi," I said. "The Japanese art of

he bandage

m going to highlight it. I want everyone

?" Ben as

small wooden b

llet casing Jax g

lood

ed up

g at the brass, "I'm going