Chapter 255

#122

Eli stands near the top of the grand staircase, his thumb tapping against the edge of his phone as the morning sun washes over the marble floors of the Reid estate. Staff members are moving quietly below, carrying wreaths of crushed lilies into waiting vehicles. The air smells of cut stems and expensive arrangements, but Eli’s chest is too tight to register the floral scent.

He glances down at the screen in his palm. The timer is running down.

The sound of soft footsteps against the floor make him lock the screen and slip the burner into his inner jacket pocket. He turns to find Lucia stepping out of her dressing room, dressed in a black tailored coat that makes her look remarkably beautiful despite the day. Her eyes are dark, heavy with the quiet grief she has been carrying since Zeke died.

“You okay?” she asks the second tim