Married for a moment, Loved for a lifetime.

liding into her laptop echoed thr

. Damon was still downstairs-handling God knows what-and this might b

unlocke

ea

er popped up:

tbeat qu

bank trails, intercepted emai

bli

ched to aliases, offshore corporat

e page: Classified:

name was thir

rth name that made

ent

No... That's

collapse. Rumors of his death had circulated after a suspiciou

t-here

operative-pendin

reached for her phone. She

attered th

The kind that did

op and approached the door

ans

nd pulled it open just enough to s

into a knot. A tailored gray suit and a

woman asked, voice

who ar

"I'm Cassandra Vale. Internal Security

Damon hired sec

tight-lipped sm

sturbingly high-clearance. "I report to s

step back. "You're not sup

ch tells you just

d you g

old her I was an old friend of y

stomach

me," Cassandra said. "N

uld I tr

been protecting you from the world, bu

ce echoed from downstairs.

la

ria's palm-a tiny, black SIM card. "If you want the truth...

ps appr

ls silent against the hallway as s

already back on the bed, laptop clo

t her for a

ht?" he as

eart thudding

d was anyth

A spy. A drive

riage bui

SIM card into her burner phone

ice answers af

s. Callahan. I hope you'r

ame far t

white gold. Aria lay still, pretending to sleep as Damon dressed beside her. The air betwe

ft zip of his tailored pants, the creak

d all night," he

d shut. "Didn'

ze heavy on her. "Are you upse

be

g the silk sheet slip off

atching her too closely. "That I've

dge of the blanket. "You're rig

His jaw t

ill," sh

ilt his head slightly, as though

stepping closer. "Whatever you're thinki

. "You knew

ng her jaw. "She's been trying to dig into Calla

the same a

ive you a choice? Me or her? Tha

t to play ga

whispered. "Just

arm, familiar. But she didn't melt

a SIM card burning a

she stood in Damon's

even minutes until the driver returned. The room smelled like cedarwood and aged leather,

ot lo

f his desk slid ope

r phone, sleek and black, tucked inside a v

SIM card Cassand

t one conta

OWN:

d-then tappe

g once

oice answered. Rough. Disto

Call

e. "Who

You just don't want

t Hale

ld you? Or what your f

dry. "What do yo

. Aware. No

ot his

You're in bed with the man who h

. "Why should I beli

et me tonight. Midnight.

ne wen

g moment, then powered down the ph

r, the do

a s

the doorway,

said, holding a ceramic mug

dropped to the drawer behi

lse th

er the cup, then leaned d

y office, darling," he murmured,

he sm

alked

d in silenc

k jeans, and boots made for running. She left the mansion without a sound,

ed for her like a

in shifting greys. The air reeked faintly of seawater and diese

ordinates Cassandr

ti

u c

came from

heart slamming

low. His face remained in shadow, but the voice was unmistakable. The

V.H.," s

'm his

t need

d your

and pulled out a folder-thick,

father built... and eve

er fingers tightening around

e the only blood left who can reclaim his empire. Da

mon saved me. He found

y. "He created the fire t

step back. "

you wouldn't

that he

ransactions. Offshore accounts. Photos from the Callaha

s froze at

uth costs more than lies. And D

ed-and he

inning veil of fog curling into

r chest, breath unsteady. She

to leave, he

Where a

her

me home,

allowe

d

llahan mansion's marble halls as s

dark-except

or sto

d from within, flic

the sweat from her brow. Adjusted her hair. Hid the folder

stepped

rink in hand. His expression unreadable-too

ed you not to leave the h

door softly. "

s did like

was calm

t sleep,"

owly, locking with

ked. "Ab

Walked t

Do you want me to list the

move. Didn

the moment Cassandra crossed our gates. I let

llowed.

believe me until you s

r. Close enough that his scent-wood

n asked, voice low. "Lies wrapped in pape

ue?" Aria

? That I made enemies? That your f

es

he silence

aid finally

react-pulled the folder free, slow and

but his arm locked

ear. "That truth will burn you

seal curl into black smoke, pages fold

s, heart racing. "I do

ng beneath the firelight. "Yo

nipulated me. You took my p

s. "I gave you everything. And I wil

hit like

he intensity th

h she wanted t