I wait.Then, at last, the double doors swing open and a doctor in green scrubs steps into the room, her mask pulled down, eyes tired but calm. She’s flanked by a nurse with a clipboard.“Miss St. James?” she calls, her voice quiet but clear.I spring to my feet so fast the chair screeches against t
I follow on autopilot, my legs heavy, my mind spinning. They lead me into a small waiting room, its chairs lined against the walls, its vending machine humming loudly in the corner. I sink into a chair, my hands twisting in my lap, still stained with Chase’s blood.The older officer opens a notebook
VICTORIAThere’s so much blood.It’s warm and sticky against my hands, running between my fingers as I press down on Chase’s wound, harder and harder, praying that if I just push enough, it will stop.My hands won’t stop trembling, my entire body is shaking, but I can’t let go, can’t falter, not whe
We tear through tables, our weight toppling chairs and sending plates smashing against the ground. Victoria’s voice cuts through the storm, raw and desperate, “Stop! Stop this! Please!” but her cries dissolve against the thunder of fists and curses.Vivienne shrieks at the sidelines, her voice sharp
I stand, fingers closing around Victoria’s hand. “You.” I turn to her, my grip firm, my tone sharper now. “We’re leaving. Now.”We push back from the booth, ready to head for the exit. But Harry is faster. He shoves himself to his feet, stepping into our path. His hand dips into his jacket—and when
CHASEThe Hamptons highway stretches behind me, the city skyline drawing closer with every mile, and I can’t wipe the damn grin off my face.Bradford’s expression still plays in my mind like a reel—shock first, then panic, then that hollow defeat when he realized he’d been cornered. Perfect. Worth t