Vianne POV:Looking in the mirror over the bathroom sink, I could see the damage to my face. I cringed at the color that seemed to burst across my cheek and along my jaw. I was lucky Brant hadn't broken it. I rubbed the ointment mom found me in preparation for the day, something my lawyer had recommended to help with the bruising.God, that woman was a freaking godsend. Even though she worked mostly in Family Law, she also had the ability to handle criminal cases. Though the interrogation the night before seemed to go on forever, it was considerably shorter than most, because of her. She was very good at what she did. I was grateful for that and the fact she helped me call Keegan the night before, and bought the time I needed for the rest of the plan to work.The following afternoon, I had to go into the precinct to sign an affidavit and my statement, after which I had to stand behind Pratt at the press conference. Dennis and Jarred continued to monitor the Cong

Vianne POV:Dennis took off in the direction I pointed, taking a few steps at a time, and moving quickly down the stairs. I looked up, as Clement demanded to see me. The rest of my security made sure he didn't come to harm, too. That was the only reason they weren't listening to him because they were doing their job. Shit, that meant he'd be pissed for a while.Jarred offered me a hand, lifting my body up as gently as possible. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from crying out. Damn, the big asshole had nearly crushed me. I looked to where Ronan continued to manhandle the beast.He looked oddly familiar. "He works for the Smiths," I said to Jarred. "I remembered from all the photos you had me look at so that if I ever saw one of their men, I was to go the other way." "Yeah, I recognized him, too.""I don't get it." Shaking my head, I rubbed my temples, feeling a headache coming on. "Why are they still helping him? Why would th

[WARNING: Sexually explicit content in the first half of the chapter. Read at your own risk!] Keegan POV: I had to be dreaming. It explained the sensations I felt along my skin. Sleep had eluded me since Vianne left for Darwin, and I only saw her in the soft-edged visions when I actually managed to get some rest. The dreams were such a rarity that I savored each one and held on for as long as I could. It was where I could see her, touch her, and talk to her. I missed her so much and I ached. I needed her near me. Feel life thrum through her. I groaned at the soft touch of her fingertip circling my nipple, her breath skipping along my jaw. Breathless anticipation had me blindly reaching for her sweet mouth, a soft moan escaping her as our lips met. Smooth, silky skin glided along my own, chest-to-chest, soft and hard. My hands moved as they always had in my dreams, reaching for her beautiful body. She was warm, wet, and ready for me. I tested further, teasing her with the tips of my

Keegan POV:I tapped my fingers on my knee, nervously waiting. More people filed down the aisle but I still hadn't spotted Vianne. If everything had gone according to the plan, she should be boarding the plane by now.I knew she'd be in disguise, which one she'd use, I wasn't positive. She seemed partial to wearing the red wig, while I loved the real deal. I knew Jarred and the others wouldn't be able to reach me. Between the media and authorities, there was no way they'd be able to sneak in a call. However, a text would be great.As a couple of people took their seats nearby, I noticed the absence of others moving down the aisle. Did that mean everyone was on? That shit made me nervous because Vianne was not on the plane. I stood up, ready to get the jump-off to find out what was going on, even though I'd likely get into trouble. I stopped when a woman across the aisle rose to her toes, trying to stuff her carry-on in the storage overhead.Her blonde hai

Claire POV:I hummed a song as I colored in my coloring book. Mommy often said it was okay for me to color outside the lines. The first time I did it on purpose, I gave the apple a mustache and a little army of chopped fruits and I became an artist! Mommy pinned it up on the fridge with a magnet and smiled every time she opened the door. After that, I did my best to make her happy, so I kept drawing and writing. She bought me colored pencils when she saw how good I was and I got even better. I loved it so much that I asked for notebooks and pencils.Mommy said that it was my creative outlet. I never told her it was my happy place. When my bad dad yelled at Mommy, I would write and sketch all the time. Now I had a new happy place. My mommy and daddy loved each other and me in that place. They loved to make each other smile, too. That was important because Mommy's smile lit up the room, at least that was what Daddy said. Then again, he said that about me, to