oe

t listings on her tablet. One in the West Village had caught my ey

Elara's phone rang. She glanced at the calle

e friends, a man who was always a gentleman, always

an's smooth, magnetic voice came through, asking

ck him up?

e. She was about to refuse when I shook

p Landon's last shred of dignity away fro

breath, and made my voice as

stening, probably still holding on to some ridiculous hope that

ing looks. They were waiting for my response

give them

sharp and distinct, "He's drunk?

her end. The air felt

should call Isabelle Sterling. She's the

for a reply, I

ining with pure adoration, then threw her arms around me in a c

s. The suffocating weight on my chest finally l

ok on Landon's face at the

s "locker room brotherhood

nstructed mask to shreds in front of

don

bar, time

e stunned, staring a

ad said the name. The impl

ade of green. The hand holding his glass was trembl

naked, unprecede

casually exposed by his own wif

s phone away, his voice

nd me. I didn't trust myself to speak. Instead, I swept

for the door, my legs unsteady, my

ter a single word

tal problems were far more serious than he had imagined. This w

y world had just collapsed, and I had