Chapter 11 · Engaged on Every Screen

The elevator stopped between floors hard enough to slam my shoulder into the wall.

Ronan caught me before my face met the brass handrail. His hand was cold through my dress. Not normal cold. Dead-tired, blood-loss cold.

Every screen inside the elevator blinked awake at once.

Vera Sane filled all four of them.

Her face was huge, smooth, and perfectly lit. Like she hadn’t just threatened to kill my friend through a video call five minutes ago.

“Citizens of Blackridge,” she said, smiling for the camera, “we have a public safety warning.”

“Oh, good,” I muttered. “I was worried tonight needed less bullshit.”

Ronan’s fingers tightened around mine.

On the screen, Vera turned slightly. Behind her stood the hotel ballroom, all gold lights and expensive people pretending they didn’t eat raw meat during private club meetings. The room had gone quiet.

Then Ronan’s face appeared beside hers.

Not a current picture. An old one.

He was younger in it. Cleaner. Wearing a black suit with a silver wolf pin at his throat. His eyes still had that same sharp, mean look, but there was no exhaustion under them. No blood at the corner of his mouth.