e P

d stared at the document stamped with the c

itch: Charlize Harris was being appointed as Chief

c garbage, I had bled over my drafting table for three straight years, sig

y fingers crushed the edges of the s

Ashton walked into the study and sh

ou sa

s tone as flat as if we were

ing my posi

ack onto the mahogany surface

eds a respectable title t

s on the desk, leaning f

years of my blood and s

rom my throat, my voi

a aura spilled across the desk, pressing a

his voice dropping an octave. "This

paying off your stepmother's

ing the polite mask

t he owed Esther Harris was the one line

om a rogue beast tide," he ground out through c

ecklace I wanted, and then hand

to the desk, refu

y, yanking at his tie as h

. And the transfer is temporary.

f of his left sleeve. For eight years since college, I had fo

ensat

reath, forcing the st

an't be bought

the door. Another second in this

he called out coldly behind me, pointing to where

lvet box off the table without

straight down the back hall to the

es floated in the dim air above

ldy carton of broken lamps. Stepping back into the hallway, I smoothed my jacket and squared my should

ton

pull out of the garage with a screech of tires. A s

t three years, she had always been quiet and compliant, accep

ther and the Elders were satisfied that Charlize was settled,

mating contract was locked in my