When the fear of isolation pulls Ashton and Ria together, nothing can prepare them for the collision. An anomaly shatters the repetitive fabric of their lives, sending them on a journey of discovering themselves and one another.
Beneath Ashton's gen...
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THE DOOR TO ASHTON'S loft hangs open, instantly putting Ria in high alert as she pulls into his driveway. Chris leans his forehead against the window, heavy scowl pulling down his features. "Why's the door open?"
"I don't know..." Ria parks the car and fumbles with her seatbelt to get out. She races up the stairs, and once inside, stumbles upon an unforeseen sight. A large body lay limp near the threshold of the front door...Daniel's body, she discovers upon a closer look.
"What the hell?" Chris breathes behind her. He crouches next to Daniel and places his fingers on his neck. After a swelled silence, his dark eyes widen and he looks up at her in horror. "I can't feel a pulse."
"What?"
"Wait" — Chris shifts his fingers over — "never mind. Found it."
Ria breathes a sigh of relief while scanning the area for blood or a weapon. She finds herself rubbing her neck, desperately trying to understand the situation. "Holy crap. Do you think Vivian did this?" Should we call an ambulance?
"But he texted you after she ran off, right?" Chris shakes his head and strokes the faint shadow along his jaw. "Something isn't right here."
"You're right," a cold voice says behind them.
A surprised yelp slips from Ria's mouth and she jumps to her feet. With a desperate twist, she comes face to face with Vincent Menshikov. Unlike the sick humor he wore back in Florida, his oddly handsome face is twisted beneath fury. Cold eyes flick to Daniel sprawled across the ground. "What did you do?" Every syllable leaves his lips in a strained control.
"N-nothing," Ria stammers. "Why are you here?"
"Ria" — Chris' warm breath is in her ear — "who is this?"
Daniel grunts, grasping everyone's attention. Thick lashes flutter apart and the moment he lays his gaze on everyone, he freezes. "Merda."
Ria kneels to his side and helps him into a sitting position. "Are you okay? What happened?" She watches him with concern as he cradles a faint bruise on his temple.
"I have a better question for you." Vincent kneels next to Ria and gives her a chilling smile. "Where the fuck is my sister?" His voice is boisterous through the thickening atmosphere.
She flinches and every ounce of bravery she once had has fled from her being. "Clearly, she is not here." Her voice trembles and she shifts away from him.
A shadow passes her vision and she glances over in time to see two gruff looking men in all black garb guard the front door. A peek outside reveals a black SUV and two more men, practically identical, standing outside of it.
Guards? Why does he have guards?
"What's going on here?" Chris' nervous fingers find Ria's arm and he pulls her next to him. "Who is he?"
