Abby quickly looked away and took out her phone.


    Ste had told her to leave; perhaps she was meant to call for help.


    With that in mind, Abby dialed Joshua''s number.


    He answered quickly, sounding like he was in a good mood.


    "Abby. Does Star need my help with something?"


    Most of Abby''s calls to Joshua were rted to Ste.


    Abby nced back into the restaurant, where Leonard had now reached Ste.


    She lowered her voice. "Joshua, where are you right now?"


    "Near The Williams Group," Joshua replied. "I was about to head over to see Star. By the way, have you two eaten yet?"


    "We just finished." Abby hesitated for a moment. "Joshua, Leonard just showed up to see Star. He looked pretty scary..."


    The other end of the line went silent.


    Then, a man''s icy voice came through.


    "Where are you now?"


    After Abby gave him the location, Joshua hung up.


    Abby stared at the disconnected call, a nervous twitch starting in her eyelid.


    Even over the phone, she could tell Joshua was furious.


    Had she said too much again?


    Inside the restaurant, Ste looked at the man standing before her with a cold expression.


    "Can I help you, Mr. Lerman?"


    Leonard didn''t miss the sh of disgust in her eyes.


    A tightness formed in his chest, and he found it hard to breathe.


    He stared intently into her eyes. "Why?"


    Ste got up to leave without a change in her expression, not wanting to look at him for another second.


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about."


    Leonard didn''t y dumb or try to test her. He was almost certain that Ste knew his identity.


    "You know," he said softly.


    P.n


    There was no anger or shock of betrayal on her face. She was calm, as calmas a bystander she hadn''t even bothered to ask him for an exnation, simply deleting him, wanting nothing more to do with him.


    Leonard looked at Ste''s cid face, and a dull ache spread through him, touching every nerve.


    She didn''t care about him. She didn''t even hate him.


    He would have felt better if she had screamed at him, but this indifference was unbearable.


    As Ste turned her back, Leonard suddenly said, "Summer."


    Ste''s steps faltered for a fraction of a second.


    But that was all. She didn''t even turn her head before she started walking again.


    For Leonard, however, a flicker of light appeared in his eyes.


    For her to pause, even for a moment, was enough for him.


    He grabbed her wrist, his voice low and raspy.


    "Summer, I''m sorry..."


    Ste yanked her hand away, cutting him off. "We''re on opposite sides, that''s all. You have nothing to apologize to me for."


    Her eyes, once open books, were


    now vast, frigid oceans that revealed


    nothing er emotions were no


    longer on disy, and at that


    moment, Leonard couldn''t tell what


    she was thinking at all.


    Leonard''s dark eyes bore into her. "Then what about Joshua? Why did you take him back?"


    A mocking smile touched Ste''s lips. "You''re not worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as him."


    Without another word, Ste turned to leave again.


    Leonard was about to go after her, but another hand reached out first, pulling Ste into an embrace.


    At the same time, a cool, crisp voice rang out.


    "Leonard, harassing my girlfriend in a public ce like this is a bit pathetic, don''t you think?"


    Joshua had appeared behind Ste


    at some point. A faint smile yed on his lips, but his dark eyes were as deep and shadowy as arabyss He radiated a lethal intensity, his eyes darkening with a raw, murderous


    edge.