ooking at her pale, expressionless face, his voice softened with practiced concern. "You have everything? You can

d glance at Ainsley, but her pride kept her silent ov

ston's words with sweet insincerity. "Yeah, sis, Dad gave it t

ence hang, the i

ance she cast Katharina was cold, untamab

, superior expression matched every other Thomas in the ro

ank card Preston had forced into her palm and set i

u don't believe me. Aside from the laptop I bought myself with my own m

landed lik

ially Eleanor and Meredith, who had stayed silent out of f

ver knew how to be obedient.

ice dripping with manufactured concern. "Sis, that's not what Mom, Dad, and Grandma meant. You're being way too sensitive. We'v

her gaze drop to t

wherever you're going... it's not exactly D.C. You'll need cash for everything

as surgical. Deli

xpression souring as he forced a nod. "Y

hen back at the family arranged before her like a portrait of hypo

ne

t looked at the caller ID, then toward

wa

icked shut

Hmph. An ungrateful stray, through and through. Sixteen years we

, honey over venom. "Grandmother, she's just ea

gh... she said she only took her laptop, but th

atriarch. "Forget it. Sixteen years. Let her take

s if she could still see the girl walking away. Her lip

enuine affection. "And you-stop calling her 'sist

pavement, distorting the air. The streets were nearly empty-just a f

Wraith sat idling at the c