ing air hit A

ce, the door swinging shut behind her with a

n it ha

brea

r heart was trying to escape. Tears spilled down her cheeks, hot and endless, soaking the collar

betr

elple

watching her sister's lif

er head back

d that clawed its

no one. "Why the hell i

e silence of the city that never stopped moving

with trembling fingers. She didn't care who saw her a

e her w

e entered. Dim. Cold. Like it mi

aight into the bathroom, shedding her clothes one piece at a time. She turned th

her skin in a

le

ionless, arms wrapped tightly around her b

ngling with the tears she

ame quietl

scr

f

t g

sed-up life. Grie

smiled even after los

ix everything when she could barel

barely supporting her, and whispered through tre

ence gave h

e rush

of her heart q

the shower. She didn't feel any better, but the cold water had nu

left slip away because she was too stubborn to take help. Even if it meant

's offer. She'd walk back into that hotel room, sign the c

sweatshirt. There was no point in trying to look better, fee

purse and head

her heart pounding with a mixture of dread and resolve. The hotel loomed ahead, its lights

owers hit her, but it did nothing to calm the storm inside her. S

nde hair, looked up as Ava approached. Her eyes flic

" Ava said, her voice tight

d slightly. "I'm sorry, Miss, but Mr

inking into the pit of

, her voice softer now, almost apologetic. "H

e was desperate, the weight o

n't know, Miss. He didn't leave a forwarding a

s slipping away. The one person who had the power to change everyth

ep the tears from spilling over again.

mpathetic, but Ava didn't wait. She turned and wa

s if the weight of the world had suddenly anchored her to the ground. Her mind was a tangled mess, each

like a hammer blow. Two days. Just two days to come up with a sum she couldn't poss

ing around her. Her mind was lost in the thought of how

y herself, but it was no use. The pain, the fear, it wa

f a distant memory, th

e

things had spiraled since she entered. But it was the only lead she had left. She remembered Damien's cold words, h

amiliar, dimly lit bar. The streets around her blurred as she passed by, her mind focu

trance. She was cold, her body still aching from the

sign cast an eerie glow on the empty street. For a brief second, she debated walking away. Bu

she pushed the door op