Avery's breathing remained steady as the darkness of the concealed cavern enveloped her. Russo's encouragement resonated faintly in her ears, but there was a weird tension in the air, an unsettling feeling that something - or someone - was watching her.
Then, from the shadows, a parent appeared, shifting with slow, measured grace. Avery's heart hammered as the stranger stepped into a slit of light, displaying a face she never expected to see again: Damien Sterling.
Her thoughts raced. Damien, the Sterling sibling who had left without a trace, was considered dead by even his closest associates. The force of his unexpected reappearance smashed into her, rendering her speechless.
Damien's eyes, as sharp as metal, kept her stare, a flash of wicked amusement on his lips. "amazed to see me, Avery?"
