The interior of the SUV smelled of expensive leather and the lingering, sharp scent of Lucas's espresso. He drove with a lethal, effortless focus, his large hands relaxed on the steering wheel, fingers draped over it with the casual confidence of someone who'd never questioned his place in the world.
The morning sun caught the platinum of his watch, sending brief flashes of light across the dashboard. They were three blocks away from the mansion before the silence finally snapped.
"What did she make you promise?"
The question was blunt, cutting through the quiet like a blade. Nina didn't even look at him; she just kept her eyes fixed on the passing blur of manicured lawns, each one more pristine than the last. The perfectly trimmed hedges and imported topiaries seemed to mock her with their orderly perfection. "Everything," she said finally.
