apartment. She kicked off her black stilettos, lea
the master bathroom and reached into the glass shower enclo
r blasted from th
te steam quickly filled the room. Through the haze, she looked at th
jagged cross of a scar cu
emperature twisted in her brain. It didn't feel like hot
ight of her eighteenth birthday. The heavy b
e dress, walking toward Emerson with her heart fu
k in his eyes wasn't love. It was a di
y," Emerson's voice echoed in her memory, loud enou
ing laughter of the socialites stab
shock. Someone in the c
he massive, ten-tier champagne tower. The sound of h
nto her back. Warm blood instantly soaked throu
looking down at her. He didn't reach out a hand. Instead, he wrapp
wn her legs. She stumbled out of the club, running
he blinding headlights of a massive freight truck swerving inthick, metallic smell of
d violently twisted the water off. She stood there, gripping the e
y mint toothpaste onto the bristles and shoved it into her mouth. She b
illed her mouth. But t
ppermint. No cooling
ly at her reflection. She remembered the cold, clinica
he car crash that followed only served to seal her past in a tom
of taste
ounded on the
eper, called out softly. "I brough
htly around her waist. She took a deep breath, rearranged he
ing a steaming mug. Jer
sive gulp of the scalding, pitch-black liquid
w wrinkling with worry. "That roast is incred
. She offered Gladys
oothly. "I actually love how rich an
ck to the kitchen. She had no idea that Jerri was drin
rest of the coffee down the drain. She rinsed the mu
g room. She looked down at the glittering lights of Manhatt
her phone and
Jerri ordered. "If the Oneal Gro
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