el's

-

n't stil

ne untouched. The city buzzed around me like a swarm of wasp

ppearances,just full of snobby men who only wanted my money. Being fake just to

chi

y driver

xplanation. The window beside me was cracked just slightly, letting in the

r. Evelyn

es, i wonder how her husband could fumble such a woman and go for a snake like lillian. Damian didn't even turn

Watched the venom on his f

't f

till. Not afraid. Not lou

unsure if he should step in. He didn't. Lil

n when they weren't. She curled herself around Damian's arm like a second s

wor

ftening like he hadn't just chewed

ere. Alone. Like a forgo

-

, sir?" my drive

n't r

on the leather armrest.

raise her voice. She di

In the disrespect. In the echo of

d of stillness

ntainment. A dam ready to break. A sc

them. She didn't get into Dam

on

aled.

quietly, "

-

olled by i

dow, jaw clenched. H

hes of her face, her posture, that m

. Barely audible. B

had bee

adn't no

I

he sound. The way she'd glanced down the table, nervous

ings in this life. P

omposed while silently falling apart. And I d

-

e, I went stra

urn on t

ess to remember what

heavy. Full of aged sco

't drin

ke losing

ing about

ing ab

hyly - and even that ha

ding her back straight like she belonged

h

alty? Why t

still

st not know s

why. I didn't ask either. I didn't want to pry, yet I would be lying if I said I didn't

fingers curling around the glas

-

d out m

d the

ered immedia

elyn Laurent," I said, my voice low a

ure

es

t me to f

w. "No following. No contact. She

erst

ho let that happen. What she lost... and wh

e a few

call without

-

his. I didn't

blems. Messy. E

t rescu

t feel

Laurent was

any sob. Something in her eyes that told me she'd spent too

couldn't afford to remember.

through my ha

idn't w

er. I wouldn't call her

games like I

would

uld prot

me too, but i know she won't, in some

d prot

was from

s from her ow

-

2:11 AM when

d, jacket off, sleeves rolled. The glo

in," I

alked in, holding a th

s tight. Ey

to see thi

tened in

file on the de

..." He met my gaze. "There's