LOGINSalome’s POV“You’re actually smiling today,” Aiden said, sliding a glass of ice water toward me.I reached for the glass, my fingers brushing against his. “It is hard not to. The view is great, and the company is even better.”The peaceful moment shattered before I could take a sip. Movement near the entrance caught my eye. Richard walked in, his face lighting up the second he spotted me. He started to wave, his mouth opening to call out my name, but Benedict moved faster. He snagged Richard by the elbow and yanked him back, shaking his head with a look of pure panic.Then I saw why. Jeremiah was right behind them.He didn't look at the hostess. He didn't look at the menu. His entire focus was pinned on my hand, which was still resting near Aiden’s on the table. The skin around Jeremiah’s jaw went tight. I watched the pulse thrumming in his neck, the veins standing out like cords. He looked like he w
Salome’s POV“So, Luceland is definitely the spot,” I said, tucking my hands into my back pockets. I paced the small hotel room, my boots clicking against the thin carpet. “Portia got drunk and spilled it all to Barnabas’s mom. There is no way she’d lie about something that specific. It’s east of New York, just like the map shows.”Clementine sat on the edge of the bed and nodded. She looked tired but focused.“That gives us two paths,” I continued, stopping by the window. “First, we track down that old friend of Russell’s from the police report. If we can get her on our side, we might break the case. The catch is her loyalty. She was friends with Russell, sure, but she was likely part of Portia’s inner circle too. People like that tend to stick together to keep their secrets buried.”Clementine shook her head, her face falling. “I didn’t even think about that. If she’s still loyal to Portia, she’ll just tip her off that we’re asking questions.”“It’s a risk we have to weigh,” I said.
Salome’s POV“So, that’s the prize Jeremiah traveled all this way for?” Clementine asked.I watched the elevator doors slide shut, cutting off my view of Naomi. Her blonde ponytail had a perfect, rhythmic bounce as she walked away. It was the kind of hair that looked expensive. I didn't answer right away. I just stared at the brushed metal of the doors.“She seems nice,” I said, finally turning around. “She seems like she’s with him for the right reasons.”Clementine opened her mouth, ready to snap back, but she caught herself. She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest as the lift moved again. “Fine. Maybe she is. But Jeremiah is still trash. The way he flirts with you right in front of everyone is pathetic.”My face went hot. We weren't alone, and Clementine didn't have a volume knob. “Keep it down,” I whispered, my voice sharp. “There is nothing happening between us. He’s my boss. If he wants to date her, that’s his business.”Clementine rolled her eyes so hard I thought they mig
Salome’s POV"Do you think he actually saw us yet?" Clementine asked, her voice tight with a mix of excitement and nerves.I didn’t answer her immediately. I just leaned back against the seat of Aiden’s car and tried to make myself invisible. The leather felt cold against my skin. Outside the window, the highway blurred into a mess of gray and green, but my mind was stuck on the phone call I had ended too soon. I had cut Jeremiah off without a word. Even worse, I hadn’t mentioned that I was driving toward the exact same destination he was.My pulse thrummed in my fingertips. I knew how Jeremiah worked. He valued transparency, and I had just handed him a mystery he didn’t ask for. If he found out I was basically tailing his travel plans, the fallout would be messy."Salome? You okay back there?" Aiden glanced at me through the rearview mirror. He was focused on the road, his hands steady on the wheel. He was young, just a college student trying to do his sister a favor, but his calm de
Jeremiah’s POV“I understand,” Benedict said, her voice barely a whisper as she shrank back into the upholstery of the rear seat.She was smart to hide. The interior of the car felt like a pressure cooker about to blow. Richard tried to break the heavy silence by tossing a few casual comments my way, but I didn't give him the satisfaction of a response. I couldn't. My mind was a storm of static and sharp edges.Salome was gossiping. The thought burned. My assistant, the woman I trusted with the literal keys to my life, was out there peddling rumors about my dating life to the rest of the staff. It was unprofessional. It was a betrayal. It made me look like a fool.I stared out the window, watching the landscape blur into a smear of greens and grays, but all I saw was her face. I reached into my pocket, my fingers trembling with a mix of adrenaline and irritation. I didn't care that Richard and Benedict were sitting right there. This couldn't wait. I tapped her name on the screen and h
Salome’s POV“Aiden, I want you to meet my best friend, Salome,” Clementine said, gesturing toward me with a wide smile. “We are going to use her car for the trip, so behave.”“It is so good to finally meet,” I started to say.Before I could finish the sentence, a pair of strong arms wrapped around me. Aiden pulled me into a sudden, tight hug that lifted my heels off the pavement. I let out a surprised laugh, my ribs squeezing under the pressure of his enthusiasm.“Sorry about that,” Aiden said, stepping back and rubbing the back of his neck. He looked at me with bright, eager eyes that made him look like a golden retriever waiting for a ball. “Our whole family is full of huggers. I guess it is in our blood.”I smoothed out my shirt and smiled back at him. I liked his energy already. Having him around would definitely make the long drive more entertaining.“No worries at all,” I replied. I reached into my pocket and pulled out my keychain, dangling it in front of him. “Since you are t
Clementine’s POV“I love Salome,” Barnabas said.The words hung in the air like a bad joke. He whispered them as if they were a holy confession, his voice cracking just enough to make me want to gag. I stared at him, my hands tightening into fists at my sides. I th
Clementine’s POV"What is wrong with your leg?" Benedict asked as soon as we got Jeremiah onto the mattress.I smoothed my pants over my knee and avoided his gaze. "I just took a tumble earlier. It is fine. I will put some ice on it in my room."He stood there with his
Salome’s POV“We are looking at nine ghosts on this list who still collect a paycheck,” I said.Benedict leaned over my shoulder to stare at the screen. He let out a low, sharp whistle. “If this has been going on for a decade, then we are talking about a mass
Salome’s POV“You should be careful, or you might actually go blind,” Jeremiah said.I snapped my head away from the morning sun, blinking back the sudden spots in my vision. My heart was hammering against my ribs. I hadn't heard him walk up behind me. The air arou







