Chapter 99

• "Men like Maverick always have secrets, always," Kieran remarked, his tone matter-of-fact rather than scornful. "They've got closets full of skeletons—maybe they'll let you glimpse a few, but they never lay all their cards on the table."
• Apart from the muffled heavy metal music blasting from Eve's headphones, the sedan was eerily quiet as we cruised down the highway. The hum of the engine was the only sound filling the confined space.
• Emotions swirled around us, creating a palpable tension that threatened to overwhelm. Only Eve seemed entirely at ease, her infectious enthusiasm like a soothing balm for my throbbing headache. Her teenage exuberance and appetite for adventure offered a welcome distraction from the weight of everyone else's anxieties.