The most important thing right now was to protect Lucky. To avoid raising suspicion, Natalie dragged Tiffany's body back into the apartment and stored it inside her storage space. She carefully erased every trace of herself, scrubbing away the blood until nothing remained. Natalie left the backpacks and suitcases full of supplies untouched, making it look as though Tiffany had simply dropped them off and gone out again. Once everything was cleaned, Natalie locked the door and walked downstairs, humming happily as she went. "It's a bright new day. "Everything's falling into place. "It's a bright new day. "From the moment I wake, things go my way ... " Her bright, off-key voice carried through the hallway. Inside unit 702, both men stiffened when the sudden singing echoed through the walls. Roderick clapped his hands over his ears. My smart, beautiful, powerful, one-of-a-kind Ms. Ashford ... Turns out she's not perfect after all! When she spoke, her voice was smooth and captivating, but when she sang, she couldn't carry a tune. The painful tune went on; each note lingered further. If it had been an unfamiliar song, maybe they could've ignored it. But this was such a well-known melody that every wrong turn hit them even harder. Where the pitch should have risen, hers stayed flat. Where the tune should have been steady, she twisted it into odd turns. Cassian finally rose from the couch, pressing his long fingers against the bridge of his nose. His calm expression cracked for once.He moved to the window just in time to see Natalie skipping out of the building, and at last, the dreadful noise stopped. Downstairs, Natalie's attention was drawn to a massive black Hummer parked by the curb. Most women would swoon over sleek sports cars with smooth curves. But she had always been drawn to rugged, heavy-duty beasts like this one. In a world torn by disaster, nothing looked more appealing than raw strength. She couldn't resist running her hand along the tough frame. What a show-off of a car, looking so pretty, sitting here tempting me. Too bad she didn't have the keys. Otherwise, she'd already have stuffed it into my storage space like some shameless bandit. Her thoughts drifted to the car she had stashed in her storage space—flashy, powerful, and unmatched. That reminder cooled her excitement a little. It's fine. My Knight XV is worth five of these anyway. Can't be greedy. Grinning, she gave the Hummer's rear bumper one last pat before walking off. Upstairs, Cassian watched from the window, amusement flickering in his eyes. He had only met Natalie twice, but every move she made surprised him. She was a wild card, never one to follow the rules, and that only made him more curious. It was the first time he'd met a woman looking at a car with the same mischievous hunger a scoundrel might show for a beautiful woman. And suddenly he thought of her silly dog that was drooling over him. Hmm, dogs really do take after their owners.Still smiling faintly, he turned away and told Roderick, "Come on. Let's head back." ... Natalie carried her bayonet as she left the neighborhood, her mood growing more restless with every step. When she arrived earlier, she'd followed Tiffany all the way on foot. It had taken her more than an hour. On the way back, she really wanted to drive, but the streets here were lined with apartment complexes, crowded with too many eyes around. She couldn't exactly pull a car out of her storage space without raising suspicion. So, she had no choice but to walk again. Her thoughts drifted back to that powerful black Hummer. Sigh! If only I could drive that away. She was striding quickly down the road when the sudden roar of a car engine behind her broke the silence.Since the floodwaters had only just receded, most vehicles were still waterlogged and useless. Hardly any cars were driving on the streets now. That made Natalie glance back instinctively. And there it was—the very Hummer she'd been dreaming about. The black SUV roared down the road, then slowed as it pulled up beside her. The driver's side window rolled down, revealing a familiar face she hadn't expected. "Roderick?" she asked in surprise. Roderick grinned at her. "Ms. Ashford! Fancy running into you again!" Natalie blinked. What kind of twist of fate was this? The car she'd been practically drooling over turned out to belong to someone she knew. She raised an eyebrow at him. "Is this your ride?" "Me? No way. This is my boss's car," Roderick said with a chuckle. "Where are you headed, Ms. Ashford? We can give you a lift." We? Natalie's gaze slid toward the back window. It was tinted black, hiding whoever was inside. But she already had a good guess. It had to be the man who had completely stolen Lucky's little doggy heart—Mr. Holland. What's his name again? She remembered the moment their hands had touched, the way his lips had moved when he spoke. Right, Cassian. "Sure!" she agreed right away. "That would be great. I'm heading to Maplecourt." Only a fool would turn down a free ride. Just moments ago, she had been wishing she could drive home instead of trekking back on foot. With the heat rising, walking all that way was pure torture.It's like the universe handing you exactly what you need. And since Roderick had offered, it had to mean his boss had already given permission. Otherwise, he wouldn't have dared to stop and invite her in.