Twenty-Four Hours to Live Again

ht, then a sha

wn hand flying

as i

too. All t

bilt, stood before me, hi

ou alright? Y

Eight glossy photographs la

or. Someone to be by you

t sent a shiver down my spine. This

an Hayes. His smile was gentle, h

who'd le

Eve. Our we

l. "You're too tense, Ellie. All

p of an abandoned skyscraper in Manhattan

blade pressed a

n, my voice hoa

as? You think I don't know you're just trying to make Olivia look bad? She's

new cut. My

-four

loss. Th

the

w, was a blurred figure rushing towar

to the present. To th

king. "...someone you ca

lightly, moved past

oto tucked into t

us glint in his eyes, and a smile that w

lie? Not Ethan? You've

ax Knight? He's..

ging into my palms. The phanto

d gathered – orphans he'd sponsored, groomed as potenti

s magazine or at some wild party, a

eal with messy, far-flung "family business" – a mining dis

reme

rete, the last image seared into my mind was Jax

oice was a

ed up his phone, scrolling through contacts. He st

n have Jax's

," yet Jax wasn't even w

bilt, sir... about Jackson Knight. There was an incident last month in Colombia. He was..

und. "Ellie, pick someone el

throat tight. "If it can't

her fawned over Ethan's precious Olivia o

wouldn't waste it o

s anguished face swimming before my eyes.

ddenly clamped

ed up.

ing to his arm, her eyes red-rimmed

't well. Your place in the Catskills, the spa resort... it's sitting emp

d have melted,

ust gave them

N

nt, Sophie. "Lock down the Catskills prop

again, his grip painful. "She's my cousin. She'll be

and yanked my arm free. "Who said

into you? Is this about Olivia borrowing your hairclip tha

an, please... it's my fault. Miss Vanderbi

. I turned to leave. "I

f under the covers. The disorien

ringing jol

the Catskills resort with Miss Vance! He brought some of your security team! T

t upr

yguards abandoning me.

*my* guard – actually tried to block me. "Miss Van

ra

necting with his cheek e

s?" I was shaking with fury. "Get out! A

private thermal pool. The scen