ra''s brow furrowed, that familiar knot of worry tightening in her chest. She liked to think she understood him-sometimes his silence felt less like calm, more like the warning before a storm.


    But would her leaving really make him that angry?


    His eyes shed through her mind on a loop, making her uneasy. She didn''t dare gamble on what he''d do. If she set foot back in Dn''s territory, she''d be walking right into a showdown she couldn''t win.


    So, she stuck to her n: disappear to another city,y low until news broke that Dn had married Tara, and then maybe just maybe she''de back to the Capital.


    She took a deep breath. "Don''t tell anyone where I''m going. I''ll head to the next city. Once I''m settled, I''ll let you know."


    Ryan''s voice wavered. "So you''re noting back to the Capital for a while?"


    ra was beyond exhausted but still managed to lean down and gently coax Emily to eat some chocte.


    Emily barely had the strength to chew, but she forced herself. She wasn''t ready to give up.


    ra finally answered Ryan. "I won''t be back for at least a year. When Dn gets married, let me know."


    Ryan''s eyes instantly reddened. "So that''s it? I''m just never going to see you again? ra, I shouldn''t have used you of wanting the Bradford family money.


    I was wrong. You can have it-everything. Can''t we just go back to how things were?"


    He finally said what had been weighing on him.


    All this time apart, he''d been stewing over why he cared so much about the inheritance. If she really wanted it, he could just give it to her. It wasn''t like having it made him happy anyway. Honestly, just being around ra-even as her sidekick-felt better than anything else.


    ra leaned back, her voice rough and tired.


    She didn''t bother to answer, but there was a sense of relief. Ryan could handle thepany on his own, anyway. She''d been away from the Bradford Group for a while, and things were still running smoothly.


    As Ryan drove, he wanted to say more, but when he saw ra''s eyes closed in the rearview mirror, he knew she waspletely wiped out.


    He pressed the gas pedal and kept quiet.


    Four hourster, they finally pulled into the next city.


    ra didn''t dare check into a fancy hotel-too easy to track. Instead, she picked


    a run-down motel that didn''t care much about IDs.


    Ryan stared at the peeling paint and grimy windows, panic written all over his face. "Let me book you somewhere nicer with my ID," he offered.


    She shook her head. She''d worked too hard to get away-she wasn''t about to get caught on a technicality.


    Inside, Emily copsed onto the sagging sofa and was out in seconds. Their clothes had dried during the drive.


    ra asked Ryan to pick up some clean clothes for them.


    Ryan, of course, bought the nicest options he could find. When he got back, he heard the shower running.


    He called out, "ra, I''ve got the clothes."


    A hand reached out from behind the bathroom door, and he passed them over.


    When she came out, ra looked and felt a little more like herself.


    Ryan waited, sensing she had more to say.


    ra sat on the edge of the bed, sipping hot water and nibbling on chocte before finally speaking. give you Z''s address. When you get back to the Capital, go find him. Tell him where I''m staying and have hime here. I''ll help him buy a ce nearby, and we''ll settle down together."


    Ryan''s chest tightened. Why did that guy get such special treatment? What made


    him so deserving?


    He clenched his jaw and said nothing, his face dark.


    ra knew exactly how he felt about


    Z, so she spoke firmly. "Ryan, I can forgive everything you''ve done before, but remember this-Z


    matters to me. You matter to me, too. But if you make yourself his enemy, I''ll have to let you go."


    Ryan practically jumped to his feet, his chest about to burst, but no words came


    out.


    He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.


    "I get it. You''re in love with him, aren''t you? Then what''s with the whole Dn marriage thing?"


    ra was surprised he knew. Apparently, the whole Capital was talking.


    "It''s just a blip. The Fergusons want to tie themselves to the Warrens, and Tara''s


    back. Dn never really let her go."


    "So Dn just gets to marry whoever


    he wants and toss you aside whenever he feels like it? Who does he think he is? I should''ve finished


    him off this time."


    ra''s ears perked up. "This time? That was you?"