Samantha's POV
The vehicle door slammed with a strong thud, locking me into the backseat next to Royce in low light. The air smelled faintly of leather and cologne, and I could feel the strain snapping between us like electricity. Even when Royce's eyes locked on me with that terrifying mix of curiosity and amusement, I tightened my hold on the diary and resisted letting it go.
"It's not every day someone risks their life for a book," he added, his voice bright yet slanted with something sinister. Samantha, you have never been one to follow the easy path either.
I turned to face the front of the car, where the lady who had followed me earlier now sat in the passenger seat, her gaze fixed ahead as the driver moved away from the alley. Her presence seemed to me like a shadow, a continual
