The penthouse was silent when Valerius brought Chloe inside. The sound of the masquerade, the applause, the whispers, the clamor of predators hungry for spectacle was far behind them now, muffled by marble and distance.

Zoe was out for the night with Melinda. Angela had already left for her all-expense-paid luxury vacation Chloe had

arranged, the kind of indulgence Valerius insisted she distribute to those around her to reflect her new station.

The suite was entirely their own.

And yet, ...