ressing in on her. She tried to breathe, to push the events of the
onal mask. "Will you be needing anything els
s a tight, aching knot. The though
thank
nsteady. Leaving the hotel felt like a retreat from a battl
er out of her daze. She stood under the hotel's ornate awning, fumbling
r cheeks burning. She didn't want to
evolving door pushe
arc
taller, more imposing. The doorman, a man with a face lik
t. Your car
froze, phone in hand, praying he wo
lined up. It was a vintage Bentley S2 Continental, its deep, British racing green paint gleaming under
topped b
ew tha
ting with a reclusive collector in Switzerland. She'd had it secret
is first anni
him the keys. A rare, genuine flash of surprise and
it. He was st
ysical blow, knockin
driven them to their wedding. He saw Althea, and a complicated emotion-pity? recog
lished roof of the car, and landed directly
just stood there, the city li
ride?" h
doorman heard it. Frank heard it. It was a casual question,
eep up her neck. She was acutely aw
en, to complete the Uber request. She lifted he
ou. My car i
She hadn't been able to afford
Damarcus's lips. He saw right
ght nod, then bent his tall frame and
isfying thud, sealing him away in
the passenger seat. Tiffany hadn't left after all. She had been wa
Althea's heart,
a low, powerful purr. It merged seamlessly into the
r Uber is arriving no
smelled faintly of air freshener and old coffee. The chasm bet
tching the glittering towers of Manhattan slide by. She felt
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