too calm for the way her hands stopped mid-polish over the glass

Her red lips curled into something smug. "I said the whole casino knows what your mother is. Works at that neon di

tray of fresh bottles, froze mid-step. A single glass slipped fr

," Lydia snapped, voi

ow her father ran jobs for the wrong people until he got himself caught. We all know he

The pain kept her rooted in place, kept her from vaulting ov

, voice flat. "She works the front desk. She

this city. And speaking of bills, rumor is you've been running packages for Tenz

of the room. Tenz wasn't a m

here. Th

tered closer, black leather jacket creaking, eyes glittering with something mean. "That's a sweet

a dull clink. H

her little sister had given her. She'd lost it during the

d it up right after you ducked into that alle

er in front of her, like the whole bar

een follo

he sour tang of whiskey on his breath. "And right now, you're one

stepped in between them. "Back of

"You hear Tenz cut her loose yet? Word is she's burned.

mach tu

r flinch. Lydia reached for it, but Kyoline moved faster, snatching the

other's voice wa

What's

"A man said you've been causing trouble. He said you embarrassed Mr.

the phone hard

could ask." She paused, breath catc

, but the words caught in her teeth.

remor in her voice. "You come home now. If they know

k. Dea

m?

le

e that every eye in the bar was still

dia's voice wa

ink... I think they just put

here for tonight.

toward the door, where Marco now stood leaning against the frame, smiling like he'd won.

ng in their posture that made her jaw tight

mering. She slipped through the narrow hall toward the s

iberate. Not Marco's.

ed. Smooth, dangerous. "Te

halfway to t

ried from the bar

said. "Because I can sme

s breath

nz says she's done. But I say she s

r too thick. She inched toward the back exit, but a shadow stretched acros

g spot, but the supply room door was locked.

l now. "Be smart. We only need a minute. And t

heard Lydia's sharp intak

nd face them here, where Marco and Cat would watch her break... or make a run

voice called again. "Ti

e last look tow

bo