Wedding Bells, Death Knells

s were a blur of c

a silent, ever-present attendant at

y openings, her face impassive as L

at charity galas while they danced,

hearing, describing flower arrangements and guest

iliation, meticulously orchestrated

seemed to relish Av

rned in Hayes family diamonds, "accidentally" droppe

eyes flicking to Ava. "That was Liam'

he bottom of the foun

s expression ster

It slipped right in." She looked pointedly at Ava. "Pe

: Ava was bad luck, or wo

n Ava, cold and co

ome with pity, oth

the fountain, the icy water seeping in

ky water, her hands searc

hed, a tableau of

sed around the small, di

ter dripping from her clot

er voice dripping with false s

dollar bills onto a nearby

ingers numb. Her dignity was a

er, news of a

rea of California where the Hayes f

ion: Liam had argued with Jess a

's chest. She knew that area, kn

ed loyalty she couldn'

old, beat-up

an angry orange,

the back routes, memories of ha

of the Hayes ranch. Flam

ill distant, but the

's car parke

le, she ran towards the

he study, the room

over the desk

, smoldering,

t think.

ight frame straining, and d

avy, a de

intense. Spar

house just as the roof b

no, she finally sank to the ground, gaspi

seared, her

led in the

ring her breath, Jess's

t have al

ds Liam, her face

ughed, his eyes

ertainty, that he would neve

s another manipul

oice hoarse. "Tell him...

confusion warring

, her strength failing. "He

is vision blurry. "Jess

to Liam, a decision

g to his side. "I got here just in

eaning against Jess.

d," Jess said, s

a bitter tast

d in doing so, had handed

fe. That was al

ting, and slipped away into the smoky

so many others, w