LOGINLuke pulled away from the café and the city moved past the windows. Grayson sat in the back seat and said nothing.Vincent's words were still sitting in his head. Not the words themselves exactly but the delivery of them, the way Vincent had leaned forward on the table and said it like he was dropping something heavy and was relieved to have it out of his hands.Don Volkov might be alive.Grayson almost laughed again now, sitting alone in the back of the car. The same almost-laugh that had come up in the café, the one that had nothing to do with anything being funny.He'd found out this morning.LFrom Trevor, through the secure line, a message that had come through at seven forty-two AM while Grayson was standing in Shayla's hospital room holding his newborn daughter and watching his wife sleep. He'd read it once and put his phone in his pocket and stood there looking at Madonna's face for several minutes before he trusted himself to think clearly.The DNA results from the body recove
[A CAFÉ - 12:30 PM]The café had outdoor seating along one side of it and Vincent had taken a table at the far end where the foot traffic from the entrance did not reach and where he could see the door clearly from where he was sitting.He had been here for twenty minutes.His iced coffee was half gone and the condensation from the glass had made a ring on the paper placemat. He had been looking at the door since he sat down. Grayson was ten minutes late and had not sent a message.Vincent checked the time again. Eleven minutes now.He ran his thumb along the outside of the glass and looked at the door.Getting Grayson to agree to this meeting had taken more effort than most things Vincent had put effort into in recent memory. He had gone through Lucas first because going directly to Grayson's personal number felt like the kind of move that would produce an immediate no. Lucas had been professionally noncommittal in the way of someone very good at their job and had passed the request
[WENDY'S APARTMENT - 10:52 AM]The pancake was the last one.Wendy tilted the pan and watched it slide onto the plate and she reached for the honey and drizzled it in slow deliberate circles across the top, the amber of it catching the morning light coming through the kitchen window. The apartment smelled like butter and coffee and the particular warmth of a kitchen that had been doing something good in it for the past forty minutes.She set the pan in the sink and picked up her plate and her coffee and carried both to the small table by the window and sat down.Her phone was beside the plate. Shayla's name was still on the screen from the call that had ended twenty minutes ago, the contact sitting there with the timestamp under it. Wendy looked at it for a moment before she turned the phone face down and picked up her fork.A girl.Baby Madonna Cross. Born the previous night, healthy and loud and looking exactly like her mother according to Shayla who had said this three times during
Angel and Ayven were sharing one of the big beds. Angel had wanted to sleep near her brother. She wanted to be close to him after so many months apart.She was already asleep now. Curled up on her side. Facing Ayven. One hand tucked under her cheek. Breathing soft and even. Her glasses were on the nightstand beside the bed.Ayven was lying on his back. Sleeping soundly after so much exhaustion.Grayson and Shayla were in the other bed. Lying close together. Baby Madonna was in her bassinet right beside them. Close enough that Shayla could reach over and check on her.The room was dim now. Just one small lamp on in the corner. Providing enough light to see but not enough to keep anyone awake. Soft and gentle.Shayla turned on her side to face Grayson."How are you doing?" she asked softly. Keeping her voice low so she would not wake the kids or the baby. "Honestly. Really truly. How are you feeling about everything that has happened?"Grayson was quiet for a long moment. Just lay there
Ayven and Angel both yelled her name at exactly the same time. Their voices overlapping. Creating a stereo effect.They both jumped off their respective beds. Moved fast. Ran toward Ruby with their arms outstretched."Careful! Gentle!" Ricardo called out immediately. His voice sharp with worry. "She is very pregnant! Do not knock her over! Be gentle!"But the kids were already crashing into Ruby. Wrapping their arms around her. Hugging her as gently as excited children could manage. Which honestly was not very gentle at all.Ruby's arms came around both of them. Pulled them close.And immediately burst into tears. Just started sobbing. Her whole face crumpled up. Tears streamed down her cheeks rapidly. Creating wet tracks through her makeup."My dynamic duo is awake!" she said through her sobs. Her voice was thick and choked. "Oh my God! I cannot believe it! This is the best day ever!"She was crying and laughing simultaneously. Making those weird hiccupping sounds that come from tryi
The hospital had moved them all to a bigger suite. Much bigger. Grayson had insisted.He had not even asked how much it would cost. Had just signed whatever papers they put in front of him. Handed over his black card. Told them to make it happen immediately.This was not a regular hospital room anymore. This was luxury accommodation that happened to be inside a medical facility.Two massive beds dominated the space. Not hospital beds with rails and thin mattresses. These were king-sized beds with premium mattresses and soft expensive linens. The kind of beds you would find in a five-star hotel. White sheets. Fluffy pillows. Comfortable and inviting.A full sitting area took up one corner. Leather couches. Matching chairs. A coffee table. Everything arranged like someone's living room.The bathroom was enormous. Walk-in shower with multiple shower heads. Deep soaking tub. Double vanity. Marble countertops. Heated floors.There was even a kitchenette along one wall. Mini fridge. Microwa
Ruby's fingers trembled as she turned her phone screen toward Shayla, the threatening message glowing accusingly in the dim light of the living room.Shayla leaned forward, reading the words once, twice, three times, as if repetition might somehow change their meaning."Ruby." Shayla's voice was bar
Grayson woke up first, staring at the beautiful lady on his bed.The sun came in through the floor-to-ceiling windows in tiny waves, catching her flawless face and making her skin glow. She was still wearing the clothes she'd come in with last night, rumpled from sleep but somehow still beautiful i
The ice cream parlor Ricardo chose was upscale and charming, the kind of place that specialized in artisan flavors and charged accordingly.Ruby pulled into the parking lot, with Ricardo's silver Porsche right behind her.Ayven was already unbuckled and bouncing in his seat. "Is this the place with
The rest of the day passed in tense, uncomfortable silence.Shayla stayed at her desk, going through emails and correspondence with mechanical efficiency. She updated spreadsheets. She confirmed appointments. She drafted memos.She did everything except look at Grayson's office.Every time she felt







