BEYOND THE FACADE.

PTE

ment bed, gently rubbing her aching feet. The mo

omach

check the caller ID

swered, voice bare

the penth

ic

tation. No quest

n, grabbed her coat, and st

loomed lik

tes. A drive

f silence

hanel No. 5 and spille

ilk robe slipping off one shoulder. A glas

oss Olivia like she

ugh," she murmured

ened. "We're

r head, a slow smil

go get

. "It's one in

nished. The

aned forward, her tone like velvet over gl

Hayes, searching fo

even loo

er, Rose. Ge

t's O

gaze lifted. Co

he s

t the wi

the wine

oftly as she pushed open the do

d the name

man said without

n't better. The cash

heard

an older man behind th

ng for that now

ded. He

th. Take a left.

n hand, her fingers had gone numb.

epped

le

sleep. So w

tood

er hand. Her jaw tigh

at-for

d back out. No words

ts were t

r, eyes scanning the dark

e m

a side alle

kened. She kep

. Their eyes. Like fi

h

rolled up

ows. Low, s

an inch. A man's

d a

t look. D

thank

kept c

u s

her bag tight

ed as she walke

fr

his hand wrapped ar

have been mor

h silent terror, her mouth fo

kept

see it. S

t-she

d back to

once on

aised a brow. "C

es. P

d in. Shut

forward, swallo

ol. The air smelled of col

. She saw the edge of a tattoo peek

a party?" he

a tired la

all. He n

e car eased away. No word

her door. Her body

hone

ye

answ

vor of wine." No hello

hed. "I was lucky

rong. F

ed at he

t the phone

o? Ugh... ba

hung

like

wa

k. No messa

o

Olivia we