na's

ough his smirk haunted me like a curse. Not because of my father, who called me a peace offering like I was a bottle of aged whiskey. Not even because of the dress still clinging to the chair

gs and chambers like arteries in a beast, and most of the windows were sealed or barred. My roo

childhood. Inside was a faded photo of a woman with my eyes and a folded piece of paper I'd never dared to open until

when

mach d

had planted that message in the locket I'd worn since I wa

cked the note back into the locket,

was information. That m

ed tightly over my shoulders. My father was already seated at the head of the long tabl

e. "No. You're worse. You're sentimental." I ignored the insult and reached for a piece of bread. "I want to visit the greenhouse,

I wan

a Roman nose, and eyes too kind for this world. He followed me like a shadow as we walked toward the back of the estate. I kept g

ping my tone innocent. "Since I was seven

nty-

ou li

faintly. "

ever tried

to mine, sharp no

smoothly. "It

le

ack tulips bloomed among the roses. I noticed something that made my pulse

ng

til the manor slept or

e stone floors as I slipped through the corridor, a satchel slung across my shoulder. Inside: cash s

, and into town. From there, I'd find a phone, call a cab, and vanish. I did

air smelled of mint and earth. My breath clouded in the cold as

cre

fr

ps. Beh

me to see Luca emer

known," he

me

ightened.

n't und

a hand.

n symbol etched into it. He held it out to me. "Your mother gave me this the night

ha

r did, to follow you-not stop you."

you," he

yes. "I don't ev

fierce. And k

ed down. "I'll give you a five-minute he

ts. My breath was ragged, lungs on fire, but I didn't stop. I ran until the

'd taken from one of the staff desks. I dialed a random cab company I'd seen on a kitchen flier. An hour

essed in black-on-black, eyes like frozen steel

hand closed over mine. "Cute," he murmure

did y

call

ckled. "Don't be mad. He did

lanned

ons. You made it further than I expected." I tried to shove him. "Let me go."

N

your pr

id. "You're

en, to my shock-he smiled. "I'm going to enjoy breaking you in, Ros