Just outside the cemetery.


    Two cars were parked along the tree-lined road. The orange one had its door swung wide open. M sat inside, her face pale, clutching a travel mug as she took slow sips of warm water. Only after a long moment did she finally re at Leonard, who stood outside by the door. "Seriously? You had to sneak out here in the middle of the night just to scare me?"


    Honestly—did he not know how dangerous it was to startle people like that?


    Was he out of his mind?


    Leonard''s expression was unreadable, though there was a faint note of resignation in his voice. "Ma''am, you left home alone in the middle of the night, and came to this ce. I was worried something might happen, so I followed you.


    I never intended to frighten you-"


    "Don''t call me ma''am!" M snapped.


    He paused. "... Chairman Suthend."


    "Were you spying on me? Following me?" M''s voice went cold as realization dawned.


    "I need to keep you safe at all times," Leonard replied, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "And since you left Mr. Montgomery''s estate, I was always going to know."


    Safe. There it was again.


    Always about her safety.


    It was always the same excuse. M was sick of hearing it. After everything that had happenedtely, her patience was wearing thin. She finally lost it. "That still doesn''t give you the right to stalk me! Stop following me. I''ll hire my own bodyguards!"


    Leonard''s tone remained steady. "Chairman Suthend, these are dangerous times. No one outside the Montgomery family can really be trusted right now."


    "Oh, I trust your precious Montgomery family, all right." M''s voice was icy. "But you''re not the only one in it capable of protecting me."


    "I''m the most reliable."


    "Well, I don''t want you."


    The night wind rustled through the trees on either side of the road, making the leaves whisper in the darkness. Neither of them spoke. M sat inside the car, Leonard stood outside, and they just stared at each other, silent, both tense and unyielding. Finally, with her nerves shot from too many shocks over these past days, M erupted.


    Leonard didn''t argue back.


    He knew M hated him. He''d known it ever since that chaotic night eight years ago, when he''d locked her in a room on Lysander''s orders and ignored her desperate screams for help. He''d always known she would hate him for it.


    He''d held out for a year. Now, her patience had run out.


    But that didn''t change anything.


    "Chairman Suthend, no matter how much you despise me, no matter how you treat me, I just ask that you not be reckless about this," Leonard said quietly. "Your safety is more important than anything. I can''t betray the trust Mr. Montgomery left me."


    "He''s dead! Dead!" M shouted, her voice cracking. "And I. Don''t. Need. You!"


    A muscle in Leonard''s jaw twitched. For a long moment he stared off into the darkness, his voice empty of emotion when he finally spoke. "Protecting you is my duty."


    It was also his penance.


    Even if she didn''t want it.


    M seethed, ring at the man in front of her. For some reason, an absurd thought popped into her head-Lysander''s loyal hound. Even after his master was gone, he was still this faithful.


    She froze, startled by her own thought, then felt a wave of exhaustion and defeat. A hound? Since when did she start thinking like this?


    She used to hate how Lysander treated people like disposable tools-like loyal dogs to be thrown away when no longer useful. And now, here she was, catching herself thinking the same way. The realization made her want to scream. She clutched hepmug tightly, speechless with frustration. Was she being influenced by them, or was she just too angry to think straight?


    Leonard noticed her silence, and after a moment''s hesitation-seeing she''d gone out in a rush and wasn''t dressed for the chill-he slipped off his suit jacket and draped it over her shoulders. "Chairman Suthend, it''s cold tonight. Let''s head back." Cóntent


    The warmth of the jacket startled M back to herself. She shoved it off, retreating further into the car.


    She sat in silence for a while, regaining herposure. When she finally spoke, her voice was cool, no longerbative. "Once the Cossio business is finished, are you finally going to leave me alone?"


    "...Yes."


    "How long will that take?"


    "He''s got the upper hand overseas, but if he sets foot here, we''ll have the advantage," Leonard exined. "So far, he''s shown no intention ofing back."


    "So how much longer do I have to wait?"


    “Not long,” Leonard replied with certainty. "He''lle. Sooner rather thanter."


    With thest real threat to Cossio gone, he''d eventually drop his guard and cross the border, eager for the hunt. Leonard doubted the man would have the patience to wait much longer. Once Cossio was on their turf, the hunter and the hunted might just switch roles.


    "It won''t take another year, will it?" M sneered.


    "No."


    Fine. She could tough it out a little longer. She''d survived this long, after all.


    She had no desire to argue with Leonard any further, or even look at him. She got out, heading for the other car, intent on driving herself home-only to find Leonard still blocking her path. She nearly walked right into him, her scowl deepening.


    "Move."


    "I''ll drive you back," Leonard said calmly. "And one more thing-if you''re truly sick of me, if you want to take your anger out on me, do whatever you want. I''ll take it. I deserve it."


    M stared at him. For a second, she wanted to scream, but what was the point? It wasn''t like he''d ever lose his temper. No matter what she said, it never got to him. In the end, all she could do was spit, "You''re insane."


    Done with the whole exchange, she mmed the car door shut and tossed his still-warm jacket onto the front seat in disgust.