Deric 

I drove straight to Carlton’s Underground house. The night was cold as I rode through Carlton’s estate, my pulse quickening with every step. I shouldn’t be here. Ava’s voice echoed in my mind. But I couldn’t sit idle, not when everything felt wrong. Not when Carlton’s sudden generosity ,  giving me a “vacation” and keeping Ava out of reach stank of manipulation.

I reached the edge of the compound, where the land dipped low. My boots crunched softly on the  gravel as I walked. The night was still, unnervingly so. Even the guards, usually posted at every turn, were absent or hidden. The air was filled with something dark,...