r was silent. The carpet was so thic

e massive king bed. Katarina needed air. She needed a drink. She o

he window that overlooked the city

frowned.

exactly like the set she had bought Kaylee in Paris. Th

ing out here?" Katarin

staring at a painting on the wall,

ered in her chest. Sleepwalking?

d from behind. She pulled the small body against her

she whispered, breathing

n her arms

leepy child melts into their mot

idn't pu

elt the shoulders. They

t, starving movement. As if he had never been held before and did

around gently. "Ka

stop

face. The same large, dark eyes. The sam

ession was e

s were deep pools of silence. They were old eyes in a young face. And

ee," she whisper

t her face with an intensity that was almost painful. He reached out a han

ed down so she was eye-level with him. "I though

his hand. He loo

y. "Are you lost? Whe

ghtly ajar. Katarina realized he must have used the housekeeping cart's passage to s

he hall dinged. Two massive bodyguards burst

en!" one of

boy. She stood up, her posture shifting from mother t

onfused by the woman

, ma'am," the lead guar

nded. "Why is he wandering t

choed from the open door of the su

t jacket. His white shirt was unbuttoned at the collar

ng near his son. His f

d. It wasn't a shout; it was a comm

"I found him alone.

lking closer. He moved like a storm front

arina. His eyes were wide, pleading. He reached his ha

a phantom pain

arina said, her voice steady despite

esn't like strangers. He doesn't like to be touch

," Katarina said. "He loo

bout him," Dimitri spat. "

ck into his suite. The heavy doo

where she had held the boy. It wasn't just a physical

hecked on Kaylee, watching the ris

ng. It was F

laring to mask the confus

Francis," she sa

tomorrow," Francis said. "Starting with her wedding

hone until the screen

y to look presentable. Though I dou

She threw the ph

nt bag. Inside was a dress she had been savin

here," she

nthouse suite, Dimitri p

Dimitri asked, che

alked over to his easel. He

raw. Fast, fr

ngs. Tonight, he drew a figure. A woman. She didn't have a face,

rawing, then at the wall that separ

en," Dimitri muttere