LOGINHEATHThe Sterlings' home was exactly how I remembered it from years agoI had only been into George's study twice; today makes it the third time, however. It still smelled the same, of worn-out leather, old books, and expensive bourbon. Heavy rain lashed against the tall windows overlooking the city, but none of us paid it any attention. Every eye in the room was fixed on the papers spread across the mahogany desk.“So," George said, folding his hands together and leaning back into his seat, “It's real” Benjamin gave a single nod, his face grim. “Every word you told us was true. The Elite Group exists exactly as you described it”“That Fitzpatrick bastard," George cursed painfully. “He deceived me, he made me convince Loretta to sign that contract, married in hopes that I would be a part of the Elite Group, but he lied. I'm only a member in name; he carries out their meetings without involving me, that trickster, that foolish boy”“We will get back at him,” I promised. George's ey
LORETTAOnly when I heard his footsteps going down the hallway did I stop crying.I stayed where I was for another few seconds, sitting on the cold floor with my back pressed against the bedroom door, listening. One step, and another, and nothing. Silence settled in my bedroom, broken only by the sound of my occasional sniffing A shaky breath let me, my cheeks felt tight from dried tears. I wiped them with the back of my hand, only for fresh ones to replace them almost instantly. “Get yourself together, Loretta,” I tried to order my brain. I was tired of crying, tired of begging, tired of feeling like every answer I reached for slipped through my fingers the moment I got close enough to touch it, but the tears kept on flowing, all because Elion wouldn't even trust me the tiniest bit or move this stupid wedding It was up to me to find my answers now, to understand what truth he's always trying to ‘Protect me from’. I pushed myself up off the floor. Every part of me hurt: my head, my
ELIONThe taxi pulled away, and it took her away from meMy Rea. A vital— No, the most important piece of my heart. For a long second, I couldn't move at all. All I could do was feel the burning ache in the hole she had unknowingly dug deep into my chest I just stood there like an idiot in the middle of the road, watching the yellow taillights grow smaller until they blurred into the stream of traffic.The silence she left behind settled over me like wet concrete, heavy enough to make breathing feel unnatural; my hands were trembling. I looked down at them as though they belonged to someone else.When did that start? When did I begin to get so... affected by anyone or anythingBut whenever it came to her, I always reacted differently A few minutes ago, those same hands had been cupping her face, wiping away tears I had caused. Then I had destroyed everything with a handful of cold words I didn't mean A contract.For fuck sake, why did that word come out of my mouth? The moment it
LORETTA “Rea!”His voice was muffled by the loud thoughts ringing in my head. The cool night air brushed my skin like a tease. I heard another sound of a door slamming shut behind meI didn't turn, I just kept on walking.My legs felt heavy, and my heels unbalanced, my body swayed, and I couldn't see past three inches in front of me, not with how tears had misted my eyes“Loretta,” My name came out rough, none of his usual composure left in it. “Get back in the car” I couldn't just hear his voice; I could feel it beside me. Still, I didn't turn. “No”He caught my wrist before I could take another step, not roughly, not in the manner the man at the club had, just firmly enough to stop me.I froze, my step halting immediately. The warmth of Elion circled me as his hand landed on my shoulder, slowly turning me till I was looking into his face. “You're crying,” he said quietly.I laughed through the tears, my heart threatening to implode. “And you care?” His grip loosened immediately.
LORETTA The tires screeched against the road, and my hand shot out to brace myself as the car jerked forward and finally lurched to a stop.“What was that?” I panted, my heart beat doubling The sound of the engine being turned off answered me. Elion's hands were still on the steering wheel, but his expression was so hard he was damm near snapping “Say that again,” he ordered very quietly.I was still breathing harshly, but I forced myself to calm down. “The man said Beatrice had sent him with a message for me.” My heart was still hammering from the swerve, “That's all” I could see his knuckles go white. “What else did he say exactly? Think harder, Loretta, there must have been something else”My head recoiled back in utter shock. “Excuse me, I am not one of your employees that you can interrogate.” My voice came as sharp as I intended, the three weeks of back and forth, of exhaustion, of secrets was finally catching up with me. “I need you to tell me who she is and why I might be i
LORETTA Now that all was over, I looked down at my wrist, at the place where the man had grabbed meI rubbed the skin lightly.“Where were you tonight?” My question sounded loud in the quiet of Elion's car. The city slipped past the windows in streaks of gold and white, the silence broken only by the low hum of the engine and the occasional swish of passing tires on the road.When he came, I noticed, but he and Harlan had been dressed for a night out. Now, it wouldn't have been suspicious, but Elion was hardly one for casual outings. It has to be something business-related, and if it was, there was a reason why he chose tonight, when I wouldn't be involved “I had an impromptu meeting,” He answered with his eyes firmly placed on the road. I settled back into the seat, watching him from the corner of my eye. “What was this meeting about?"For a second, I saw the faint tick in his jaw, the way his shoulders grew taut, but all it took was a second, and he returned to normalcy. It was s
LORETTA Find his secret. Nine months. Be free This has been my mantra for the past three days. I hadn't seen him since my first night here. Elion leaves early before the sun is up and arrives late at night when everyone is asleep, I should have been relieved by his absence, but somehow, it made m
LORETTA “Inform me if anything goes wrong” I instructed Abel's personal nurse just the driver arrivedFather gave me a small, tight smile. “Remember, you must act fast and find out his plans. That way you can be free from this marriage”I nodded, then cast one long, lingering glance at the home I'
LORETTA I barely made it to the car before my legs gave outFather's grip on the steering wheel was tight. “That went...well”I didn't know if it was a question or not. Bile revolted in my stomach and rose to my throat “Drive” I wanted to be out of here, put as much distance between Elion and me
ELION This city is beneath me.Everything else will be soon. It's only a matter of time. My jaw ticked once as I watched the bustle in the streets of Seattle, several floors beneath my office windows. Busy people moving in every direction: hurrying, rushing, sprinting, scrambling, running towards







