Chapter 1 - The Inhaler
The inhaler hit the wall before Cullen understood what he was seeing.
It bounced once, spun under a walnut console table, and disappeared into the shadows.
Mireya made a thin, broken sound.
"I can't breathe... I need it."
The engagement party froze around her. Forty guests in Cullen Hart's living room stared as his eight-year-old daughter dropped to her knees on the rug, one hand clawing at her chest.
Tove Soren stood over her in a silver dress, perfectly still.
And smiling.
Cullen shoved through the crowd.
"Move!"
He hit the floor beside Mireya, reached beneath the table, found the inhaler, and pressed it into her shaking hand.
"Slow. Look at me. You're safe. Use it the way Dr. Ramos showed you."
Mireya took the medicine. Cullen counted breaths with her until the terrible whistle in her chest began to soften.
Then she collapsed against him.
Her fingers caught the leather strap of the holster under his jacket, not the weapon itself, and held on like it was the only solid thing in the room.
Cullen wrapped both arms around her.
"Who did this?"
Nobody answered.
He looked up.
Tove folded her arms. "She was being dramatic. She knows she's not supposed to interrupt adults."
Cullen stared at the woman he had planned to marry in six weeks.
"You threw away her inhaler."
"I tossed it because she was waving it around for attention."
"She couldn't breathe."
Tove rolled her eyes. "Cullen, please. Don't reward this."
Something inside him went cold.
He rose slowly, keeping Mireya behind him.
"How could you do that to a little girl?"
Tove's face tightened. "Your little girl has been lying to you for months."
Mireya suddenly gripped Cullen's sleeve.
"Daddy."
He looked down.
Her lips were still pale.
"What is it?"
She stared at Tove with pure terror.
"She did this before."
Cullen's pulse kicked.
"Before when?"
Mireya swallowed.
"The night Mommy died."
Tove's expression changed.
Only for a second.
May you like
But Cullen saw it.
And so did Mireya.
