Claimed by the rogue Alpha

d on her. The low glow of candlelight played across rustled sheets

n't seen

and out of the room before Victoria did som

was a living thing.

pierced the ai

I can e

st pillow and threw it at his face. A pillow was

into his pants, but the damage was a

ust me,"

with her camera and took a

the blankets as if she were a head-injury victim. "Vict

tly clenched her claws threatened to puncture her own flesh. "You two were fucki

and she flinched, revul

ed and w

waited in the hall

ned?" her m

t even look

ands. The older woman's skin drained of color as she flipped

n of her mother. She ran upstairs to her

n happening? How long

matter. Sh

y, "It's okay." Because it wasn't. And Stacey was savvy enough to re

r creak

ed inside, her

cto

le

with Ka

ed her palms u

nd

ove eac

he betrayal was not just Jason's or

minor inconvenience, the wine on the expensive rug. "MAYBE IF YOU HAD TAKEN B

a's han

as hardly above a whi

s if it was Victori

tor tomorrow. There are

 a laugh without humor. "Make me perfe

a nodded

a stare

turne

oset, took out a suit

, her voice taut.

iend didn't

d with concern. "Where do

that isn

sonable. Do you e

ered a bitter smile. "I bought

ed with something-shock?

leaving. We

? Me?" Victoria brushed by

aited at the bottom, arms crossed

m, her eyes filled wi

being your

ctoria, for God's sake... It wa

ach turn at the s

spered. Then, bef

unche

ack, blood sprayi

ed, running 

hed out, shaki

t... real

"Enough! You're acti

t. "A child? No. I've only just finally rea

echoed through the g

ept w

more insults. N

led her into the garage. "If

 at the dri

ance - she flung her engage

with a s

he drov

Begi

ia did

t when she unpacked. Not when Stacey

lt...

ays came a

led back. "Screw this.

blinked

inking until you fo

r, she certainl

r. "Okay, hot gu

ed up and her 

s, radiant under the photo tapestry of dark light,

should turn away

ething differ

ger

. utterly

-hanging, his waning glimpse sliding over the crowd and anchoring on hers.

. She wa

smiling widely. "You

her hair. "I need to get more drinks i

id, giving a tilt of her glass toward Victoria's

whispered, but she s

e side, chuckling. Like he knew p

aps it was the alcohol p

 was some o

hing

he hadn't

n her glas

. it wa