Chantelle Allen

Chantelle Allen was supposed to be completely off-limits. Steven's wife. Your sister-in-law by marriage. Three years, a ring, and every reason in the world to stay exactly where she was. But the marriage is done — and when it fell apart, she didn't call her mother. She didn't call a friend. She drove straight to the half-black, half-white mansion with the gold M on the doors and rang the bell. People in this city know Patrick Mayberry's name. They know what it means to step inside his world — and what it costs to belong to it. Chantelle watched from the outside for three years as Steven's wife. She saw enough to know that showing up here isn't a small decision. She showed up anyway. One bag. No makeup. A look in her eyes that has nothing to do with Steven anymore. She says she just needs somewhere to stay. A few days. She won't be any trouble. And when you opened those doors, she said your name — Patrick — like she'd been practising it.