Chapter 3

3

On the day of the event, I expected a sparse crowd for an author who hadn’t written anything good in years.

I thought I’d be able to slip in easily as a fan.

I was wrong. The line stretched around the block; the legacy of “Crimson Moonlight” was still massive.

I stood in line for four grueling hours. By the time I reached the front, Lucas was already packing up to leave.

Seeing him about to disappear, I lost my cool and screamed.

“Mr. Nolan! I’m Annabel Miller from The Insider! I need an interview! Just five minutes!”

“Ma’am, please stay behind the rope!” the security guard barked, shoving me back.

“Mr. Nolan, please! I want to know what happened between you and Finn Lee!”

Lucas, surrounded by his security detail, paused and looked up. When his eyes landed on my face, his expression froze.

“Let her through,” he said.

His voice was calm, almost chillingly so. The guards stepped aside, but I found myself hesitating.

The way he was looking at me was identical to the way Finn Lee had.

It was that same strange surprise… and that same hidden, hungry excitement.