Encore of the Avenging Muse (Sylvia and Rupert)

He whispered the words again, heading straight for the door.

Maybe it was Sylvia's imagination, but the usual icy, pine-like chill that clung to him was now masked by a heavy scent of antiseptic and medicine.

When she turned, he was already gone.

Chris snapped back to reality, a little anxious. "I'm going to check on him."

That left only Reese and Sylvia in the room.

Reese didn't press for details; she just helped Sylvia sit down. "Sylvia, I'm sorry. My aunt can be kind of stubborn. I think Mr. Rupert only tolerates her because of me. Let me apologize on their behalf."

Sylvia looked at Reese, at a loss for words.

It took a while before she finally asked, "Reese, about Yves..."

"I had no idea Yves was like that behind the scenes. He hurt so many women-he deserves to answer to the law. You were amazing, but you took such a big risk."

Reese's voice was passionate, even a little naive.

Sylvia only had to think for a second to understand where that innocence came from.

Rupert had never told Reese how twisted Yves's obsession with her had become. He just let her take the fall.

What a joke.

covered her face and started to

blinked in surprise. "Sylvia,

Reese. You're

anything, to

bed, reassuring her. "Alright, don't overthink it. Try to get

about to leave, Sylvia reached out

okay? Just focus on being

"You guys worry way

Sylvia in, still smiling, and left the

had finally been lifted,

Rupert and followed

opened the door, he saw Rupert's tall frame-six-foot-three- collapse heavily to the

catching Rupert and

up, his white

fix it. Instead, he yanked Rupert's shirt open to check the wounds-split open again, healing

to bring supplies and meds, tending

you'd just stood up and said Kay was behind all this, she

were Hanson family bodyguards everywhere. Orson went through hell to get you in, and you almost got yourself killed, got stabbed threw yourself into the ocean and wrecked your spine. Then

much, why not just say it? Look at Mr. Sanford

but the words caught in his

man was ghostly pale, sweat beading and dripping from his