31 ChanningChanning hummed as she tidied up the kitchen.
Clayton was upstairs tucking their son into bed. When he came down, they’d have an adults-only Saturday night. She and her husband, curled up together on the great room couch in front of a crackling fire.
She refilled their wine glasses with the ripasso from Valpolicella she’d uncorked at dinner and admired the result. The “repassing” process colored the wine a deep, bright red with a purple edge. Its high alcohol content and seductive dark-fruit flavor meshed perfectly with her evening plans.
Her phone chimed. She checked the screen.
Nora.
After a quick hello, Channing asked, “How’d it go?”
“Gus turned down the offer,” Nora replied. “He won’t agree to my withdrawing.”
“That’s some pledge of allegiance. Risking his life for yo
