His Vow, Her Blood

slept, but to

the weight of fear. But as she crouched behind a dumpster in the alley behind St. Vinc

still echoed

t betrayal and black roses. She had dropped her phone while trying to dial 911. Then h

e forehead. Ex

hen s

uld've run, should've screamed

turned. The

t death-and death loo

sed to see her there. She thought he might shoot her too. But instead, h

aid calmly, his voice like midnight-co

cracked. Her scrubs were wet, the smell o

said, stopping a foot a

ybe if she didn't ans

se, but something shifted in his eyes-dark,

she wh

ently tuck a wet strand of hair behind her ear. A

ed for h

n't see anything. I didn't ev

something. And unfortunately, tha

. Her knees began t

be beautiful, but he wa

to the alley, eyes flicking between Aria and the suited figure. "

nt

d around her f

d, without looking ba

of a black SUV and drove for what felt like hours. But she memorized every detail she could: the sm

d stone walls that whispered of secrets too old to be spoke

d a single armchair facing a fireplace.

er to sit. She didn't. "You saw something you weren't mea

murder," s

ou're braver t

'm angry. You too

ple who would have killed you. Do you think th

her arms. "

"But I have something

of her, details from her residency at St. Vince

is t

this house until I say so. But I won't h

enched. "What

Play the part. I'll protect you, and

tunned sile

re in

And if you want to stay

. "Why not just kill

's something about you I can't explain. You saw me d

fro

added softly, "you're not

n her throat. She didn't

wanted

id. "You don't touch me

returned

glass. She did

ing whether she'd k