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The cop glances at , and then at Sean who has a stoic expression and doesn’t speak Sean’s hands are in his pockets, as if he’s bored The two police officers look at one another, as if they know they’re , but neither is sure what It see I need is for the

Sean finally lets out an irritated sound and says, “Gentleure out who killed the woet on with business?”

Holy fuck, his voice is cold Sean makes the woman’s death sound like an inconvenience on the sa a train The words send a shiver down ht—turns on his heel, and heads back to the room I watch him disappear behind the door, and pass that lifeless body He doesn’t flinch, or look down at her There’s no indication that he’s upset in any hich is really disturbing The thing is, I know this is the way he acts when he has his guard up Sean becomes a rock, this stoicbecause he looks like a freaking sociopath

At that h his ry, worried, or what That woman is dead Someone killed her and I don’t think Sean knows any more about it than I do

Myfro at her dead hand, I ask, “Who is she?” My voice warbles slightly as my hand lifts to my heart

I gawk at the sheet, thinking everything and nothing It’s one of those weird h my mind that I can’t see any of the and powerful, re, as if I didn’t already know

I can’t help it, I start shaking My reaction is involuntary, and I have no idea how Sean can compart any concern I’ speed, ripping away the small fraction of control that remains My stomach twists and my throat constricts as the contents of my stomach threaten to come up I cover my mouth and look away as sweat beads across my forehead

The detective swears, before saying, “Get her out of here before she’s sick” The cop nods and takes my elbow, and turns me toward the elevators as his boss walks back toward Sean There are more people in the room I hear their voices, but never saw their faces

The elevator chimes and the doors slide open The cop walksthe button for the lobby His dark gaze lifts and meets my pale, sweaty face He shoots me a look of pity and smiles “Don’t worry, miss It’s not someone you would know The woman was a prostitute Go down to the bar and ask for a le will settle”

All I can do is nod The doors slip shut and I’m alone

CHAPTER 2

Tiely in the next fewfrom above at the saht Contradictions floodinecho “The woman was a prostitute”

I hear the sound ofon the marble floor and continue quickly toward the bar I don’t have any alcohol wipes in ht Add to that the torrent in et a le to lose it

The people around ister as noise I don’t know anyone, I don’t see anyone I’ulfed in my own personal hell that hovers around me like a cloud As I step into the bar, a hand lands on the crook of my arm and yanks

My reaction is instant I whirl around withwith my arm The man catches my fist in his palm and holds it for a second

“Avery, calet you out of here” It’s Gabe I can’t calh of relief My entire body is strung tight and ready to pop

I nod at him and he lowers my arets bigger”

I snap out of o here” I hold up Sean’s card and Gabe plucks it froers

Peopleabout the dead woman in the Ferro suite I hear their voices, and can’t block them out “The man is a monster They should just shoot him,” one woman says sternly as she walks by in a hurry

Adeviously, “That’s one way to get out of paying, huh? I always heard Ferro was a cheap bastard”

The coe me, and don’t stop Each wave of insults is worse than the last They hate him—everyone thinks he did it and Sean wasn’t even in the room

My lips press together in a twitchy way as I regain rab the ahole’s shoulder and tell him off, but Gabe sees the movement and stops me before I have the chance

His hands land on my waist and he yanksIt feels like someone ripped me open froht back or lay down and cry “Stop it, Miss Stanz Do not draw more attention to yourself” Gabe hisses in my ear “I’ll take you to this place, if this is where you want to go, but we leave now No co, and if you tackle someone, I swear to God that I’ll taser your ass and throw you in the trunk Got it?” The old guy is puffed up like he means business

Attacking aholes won’t help Sean, so I nod I didn’t expect Gabe to comply so easily, but I’m not about to ask questions He releases me, I follow hi to get inside Reporters look at us and soo off, but then they realize that we’re nobodies and drop their caain and I hearinto a frenzy I hear someone say that Amanda’s death was unnecessary and now this