THE DEVILS MERCY

NIC'

in my arms

ce at her, then quickly look away. They know better than to ask questions w

d the street. Her skin is freez

uldn't

left her i

or use them. But I saw the necklace. The same one I gave my sister

low-eyed thing on my couch... is

eans eve

," I

p as ever in a tailored suit, expre

n't k

You don't usually t

kneeling beside her. "She's a

orn open from rope. She's been used, maybe traffick

ed somethi

out his phone. Adrian's our private medic. Quiet. Loyal.

sedation. She's going to

se I

wer

ace. It takes everything in me not to rip it of

tied to

what happened

e's l

t of her. One

. she'll ne

'S

too soft.

something darker underneath-something sha

t upr

lley anymore. Not chained. Not tied. Dressed in clean clothes-black T-shirt, dra

rges thr

nimalist, modern, cold. A leather armchair, fireplace.

mers. Where

r creak

en he'

-obsidian, unreadable, dangerous. He doesn't say an

" I ask, voi

ho

goes dr

arms," he says simply.

that I can't read him. I hate th

dropped me a

about." His voice shifts. Still flat, but with a thr

vely reach

s g

darkens slightl

stole

es it-and stops. "You were dying in an alley.

llow

who asks. This is

t out of me?" I snap, m

It's fain

less yo

why I believe

picks something off the m

neck

with shak

to you?" he

e. "I don

like it mea

nly thing I

he understands what that me

our name?

lready

o hear yo

a breat

ime, slower. Like he's testing m

afe here,

"Nothing about t

than anywhere else in this city. The men

ree

w too

dn't say

he doesn't believe me-but

e as long as you

rising fear.

like what h

leave. Stops

va

ook

ominic

hits li

The kind of name people don't say ou

monster,"

ts his

I'm your m

th the necklace in my hands-and the