His Reckless Love, Her Shattered Life

already a ghost, and she felt no attachment to it. Her departure was clean, surgical.

cedure, Sarah. He' s

ice for a week. He was a man possessed, his world shrinking to a

new life. A new passport, visas, a one-way ticket to a country where no one knew her name. She emptied her bank accounts, leaving only the fu

but kept as a symbol of a life that was technically hers. Clothes, books, the photo of her mother. Everything else, ev

, her new burner phone buzzed. It

s mine now. Stay away fr

lery' s stomach. She kne

lmost immediatel

ownstairs. I

ight, oblivious.

inst it, a vision of casual wealth and privilege. For a moment, she saw the thirteen-year-old boy she had first

nt dow

a quiet park. He drove to a high-end jewelry sto

yes gleaming. "You have good taste.

eel a distant, clinical numbness. He was asking his long-term mist

he said, her voi

a diamond necklace, a sapphire bracelet, a pair of emerald e

She likes green, ri

y for him. He was buying affection,

c," she advised, her tone pr

. As the sales associate gift-wrapped the box

said, his voice low and cons

py for you

ds a stream of consciousness. "She' s been through so much. Her family lost

Pure and innocent was not how she would describe the author of those words. Sh

d habit compelling her to warn him. "

ed. His eyes tur

you tryin

. Just be

his voice dropping to a menacing whisper. The air c

over her, a weight she had carried for years. She wa

. "I' m sorry.

issipated. He was placate

"Kenzie mentioned wanting a vintage music box. The kind they made in Switze

oice a monotone. "Does she ha

ssion on his face. "You' re not

I hated every second of this. I was count

d smile. "I just want y

cked sound. He answered it, hi

at' s wrong?

e frantic, tearful v

d me... I' m on a roof...

"Stay on the phone. I' m t

inst the passenger door. Her head hit the window with a sickening crack. Pain expl

shboard, his knuckles white on the steering wheel. He was a ma

reeched to a halt in the parking garage of a luxury hotel. He was out social med

but she was already foll

t something was wrong. The man' s face was familiar. He was the son of a contractor her father had driven

a slow, cold smile spread across his lips. He understood. This wasn'

d, his voice drip

ney? Is that

blood run cold. He wrapped an arm around

oud enough for the man to hear. He gestured to El

g her ear, his voice a venomou

Walk away wi

xed on the attacker. Ellery saw the calculation in his gaz

ng to sacr

life for Kenzie' s, with