CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED ELEVEN - The Power of a Whisper

"Cassius, darling!" A statuesque blonde in a barely-there bikini air-kissed Cassius on both cheeks. "And you must be... Mara, is it? I'm Savannah Hartley." Mara shook her hand, noting the slight emphasis Savannah had put on her name. "Pleasure to meet you, Savannah. Lovely party." "Oh, this little soirée? It's nothing compared to the galas Clarissa used to throw. Speaking of which, where is that delightful sister of yours, Cassius?" Cassius's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. "I'm afraid Clarissa couldn't make it tonight." "Such a shame," Savannah pouted, though her eyes gleamed with curiosity. "Well, do enjoy yourselves. The bar is that way, and I believe they're about to start the bonfire soon." As Savannah sashayed away, Mara turned to Cassius. "Well, that was... interesting." Cassius chuckled. "Welcome to the shark tank, love. But don't worry – you're more than capable of swimming with them." As the night progressed, Mara found herself relaxing more and more. She and Cassi