a damp, con

sting long, dancing shadows. My throat was raw, a searing fire that made swallowing

ed me in th

f at the door, pounding on the thick wood with my fists

a pr

Once a day, the door would unbolt, and Liam would leave a plate of stale bread

him curdled into somethi

rom upstairs. Liam and Chloe.

r voice sharp with annoyance. "Liam, this

"But you're right. We ne

e you su

. Delusional. After I broke up with her, she stole your diamond earrings to spite me.

He was building a

r 'delusions,' it won't be hard to convince a doctor she's a danger to herself and

lliant, darling. Ab

hospital. They were going to lock me away and throw away the k

d not let

ring when I was found after the accident. I' d never taken it off. It was the one thing that connected

My grandfather had given it to me when I was sixteen. "Press the center

a rich man's dramatic toy.

oor opened. It wasn't Liam. Two

e of them grunted.

I let them drag me up the stairs and o

ng to be weaker than I was. They dragged me towa

, using the movement to shield my hands from their view. My fin

Three. F

le vibration hummed agains

me into the van. "Ge

inished hi

ack town car screeched to a halt, blocking the alley entr

ing with a quiet, professional efficiency that was

heir eyes wide with

ecognized as the head of my family's security, walked toward us. His eyes me

calm and steady. "We've been look

over in seconds. The two thugs were disar

me out of the van, wrapping a

now, Miss A

face. I couldn't speak, but for the first time