**Ellis POVIt was a shorter plane trip to upper Maine where my grandfather resided than I had anticipated. Maybe it was my nerves, but I felt like we were deplaning as soon as we got on. Ken skipped out onto the tarmac while Olivia chased after him. She was still smiling at this point, but I knew that would fall soon. I didn't want her to be upset, but if my family is good at one thing, it's making people frown. Especially if they're seen as a threat.I pulled Olivia into the car with me and Ken tried to buckle himself in next to me. I helped him along while the driver gave us a brief look. I could feel him staring at my beautiful lover in the seat next to me. If Ken wasn't on the other side of me, I would have let the driver have a piece of my mind.Olivia leaned into my side, slipping her arms around my midsection tenderly. I kissed her head, clinging to her like she could be ripped from me at any moment.I pulled her hair off her shoulder and kissed the warm skin that sat there. S

**Ellis POVI admired the bedroom they chose for me. It had large windows and gold framing around the walls. I was surprised to see a few portraits up, one adorned with my father and one of his wives.It was hard to remember which wife it was, he had so many, but I recognized my father instantly.He had a tall, lanky body that looked well with his expensive, lavish suit. He wore pinstripes like some kind of gangster in the city, and he had the most blue eyes I'd ever seen. I couldn't see myself in his image, but I could remember myself chasing after his approval as a child.I knew he had a lot of children, and swimming in that sea was never easy. I never had a sibling I could trust with everyone vying for my grandfather's wealth.When they all began to die, I stopped attending their funerals.My father suffered his own fate and I wish I could be upset about it, but he had unleashed enough suffering into the world, pricking poison into the veins of this family every week, and I had to l

I couldn't fall asleep. As much trouble as Joan had caused, I couldn't shake the feeling that she was right. Maybe the Peterson family was in danger again from the threat of Bennett Klein. Bennett was a dangerous man that had killed people and tried to steal Ellis' fortune by kidnapping our son.Maybe Ellis would need someone else with him to help secure Peterson's future. I couldn't entertain such thoughts. As long as Ellis would want me, then I would stay. Not only would I stay, but I would fight like hell to do whatever he would need from me. I wanted to be by his side as long as he wanted me there. As I turned over, I caught Ken sleeping on the long couch near the balcony doors. He didn't like sleeping in bed, mentioning the smell of this room like it was cloaked with mildew. I know he just missed his bed at Ellis' home, but he was sticking it out for me. My hands toyed with the sheets, my eyes clinging to the ceiling while my mind was riddled with pressure. My phone humm

I hissed as I dropped the gun at last, feeling the new audience in the bedroom begin to surround me. My heart raced out of my chest and I lowered myself out of protection. At least in the large group of onlookers, Ken was not a part of this witch hunt. He would be oblivious to the setup happening here today. I couldn't escape all of these people, either. Even if I wanted to run away from this obvious attempt to frame me, I feared it would work. Would the police believe me when I would tell them it was all a lie? I held the gun and Herman now laid with a bullet wound to the chest. They knew I was the easiest target to blame. That's why Joan sent me here in the first place!Joan put away her phone when the wailing to Ellis had finally run short. It wasn't long before I could track the sound of his steps coming up the stairs. He raced into the room, nearly knocking Joan off balance, and rushing to his grandfather's side. I watched in dismayed horror as he worked to find a pulse but w

**Ellis POV My eyes opened and shut, but everything was a blur. I couldn't make sense of where I was or anything around me. I must have been somewhere between waking and sleeping. Something was missing. No… Someone was missing. She was screaming.I jerked awake, reaching my arms out to grasp her, all I clutched was empty space, as if the woman I reached for had suddenly disappeared. I tried to think who I was expecting to hold onto, but a splitting headache gripped me and I lay back on the bed.I had hangovers and headaches before, but nothing like the skull splitting pain I felt as I closed my eyes and put my hand to my head. I didn't remember drinking the night before but I swore it would be the last time I touched a drink for quite some time. Then I felt the bandage on my head and realized that somehow I had gotten hurt. But I couldn't remember how. "Ellis?" I felt my body go rigid at the unexpected sound of a female voice beside me. I hadn't noticed her in the brief moments my