My heart leaps into my throat. I bolt upright.


    The bedroom has only a dim nightlight glowing.


    In the shadows, a tall figure crouches on the windowsill.


    Rainwater drips from his soaked jacket onto the carpet, spreading dark stains.


    He’s lost so much weight-that ck tactical jacket hangs loose on his frame.


    He reeks of blood and sweat.


    But his eyes burn bright, locked on me like a predator watching prey.


    “Nova. Long time no see.”


    “You know they couldn’t keep me away from you.”


    His voice is hoarse but carries this sick, twisted smile.


    Cold sweat breaks out across my back.


    My fingers inch toward the nightstand.


    The panic button’s right there. One press and rms scream through the house. Guards storm in within sixty seconds.


    But Damon sees what I’m doing and steps closer.


    “Don’t touch it.”


    His voice drops, almost pleading. “I don’t want to hurt you. Just want to talk.”


    “Talk?”


    I force down the panic, sitting up against the headboard, pressing my back to the wall to put distance between us.


    “A wanted fugitive breaks into his ex-wife’s bedroom to ‘talk’?”


    “Damon, did you lose your fucking mind on the run?”


    Heughs-low, hollow, makes my skin crawl. <fnc129> ???? ????s? ???????s ?? Find_Novel(.</fnc129>


    “Ex-wife? Nova, how can you say that?”


    Ten years together can’t be erased by some divorce papers.”


    He takes two steps closer, stopping about six feet from the bed.


    The dim light hits his face.


    see it now-a jagged scar running from his eyebrow to his cheekbone.


    Noticing my stare, Damon points at his scar with a bitter smile.


    See what I went through trying to find you?”


    Those cops chased me like a fucking dog. But thinking about you kept me going.”


    Nova,e with me. Let’s go somewhere nobody knows us. Start over.”


    “Start over?”


    I nearlyugh at the absurdity. “Start over with smuggling and moneyundering? Or start over finding a new side piece?”


    Damon, look at yourself. You’re a goddamn fugitive. What makes you think I’d go anywhere with you?”


    At the mention of his mistress, the obsession in his eyes turns vicious


    Ilis fists clench.


    1 was just fucking around! That trash wasn’t worth shit!”


    “She just looked like you from certain angles, made me lose control…”


    “Stop!”


    1 cut him off sharply. “Don’t you dare me this on me!”


    “Emma was your choice! You gave her the money! She posted those disgusting videos! None of this has anything to do with me!”


    “How can you say that?!” He gets agitated, stepping closer until he’s almost at the bed.


    “If you hadn’t fought me, hadn’t sent me to prison, how would I have ended up like this?”


    “Nova, you know I can’t go to jail! My enemies are waiting to skin me alive in there!”


    “You deserve everything you get!” My voice rises, anger overtaking fear.


    “Damon, every step that brought you here was your own choice!”


    His face turns ashen.


    “Yes, my choice! But choosing you-was that wrong too?”


    He lunges for my wrist. “Nova,e with me, please…”


    “We can’t go back, but we can go somewhere new. I’ll treat you right, never make you angry again…”


    “Get away from me!”


    I throw off the covers and scramble backward, but my ankle hits the footboard.


    The sharp pain makes me gasp.


    In that split second of hesitation, Damon’s hand grabs my sleeve, gripping so hard the fabric starts tearing.


    “Nova!”