fore the bite. Hailey lay in a crumpled heap of silk and shame on the cold marble

all, a monolith of indifference in a dark suit. I didn't need to speak; a

ed. He grabbed the crystal pitcher

nfocused, until they landed on the man sitting behind the obsidian desk. Demetrius Maddox hadn't moved a muscle, yet his presence fill

," I co

her look like a tragic clown. I reached into the pocket of her soaked dress-a violation of per

er lap. It landed

Five thousand dollars. The exact remaining balance you promised Foy for rui

He knew what this meant. If Hailey implicated him, if she admitted this was a conspiracy sanctioned by a

ing. It can make a daughter sacrif

ward Demetrius, pressing her forehead to the floor. "I paid for the drug! My father knew noth

seful one. I had the confess

r sobbing form and wal

older, a unnatural chill that should have been terrifying. But to me, with the poison burning through my v

s eyes, dark as a starless night, locked onto mine. There was no amuseme

eg. Queens

eady despite the hammering of my heart.

I was referring to. The heat in me that soothed his cold. The cold in

voice so only he could hear. "But before we discuss terms, I need to clean my

le touch my lips. "After all, a clea

mouth ticked up-a microscopic shift that felt like an earthquake.

sion g

r Carmelita were watching me with a mixture of horror and confusion. They didn't understand. They tho

voice ringing with borrowed

ristian's face entirely.

e," I s

nto the center of the room. It was stained with old, dark memories. They seiz

ddy! He

path. The Enforcer didn't even raise his hands; his sheer size and

e of cash from where Hailey had dropped it and shoved

, my eyes cold. "The Bolton family pun

p coiled at his bel

elita's throat. "Aver

d, not looking away from the Enforce

Don. Seeing no objection, he uncoiled the

k to expose the pale skin that had never known a day of hardship.

de their trembling. I wasn't trembling from fear an

. He wasn't watching the punishment. He was watching the executioner. And for the fir

like