ey'

ized the woman s

red dress hugged my body like it had been tail

" I whi

on behind me, lipstick in hand

like you

look

use fire," she grinned, holdi

d we walked out like we had nothin

*

elvet

flesh, dark marble floors, chandeliers dripping like

walk in.

o the shadows, private, but close enough

d. "What's y

ng that makes me forget Eri

shots," she told the ba

mmered. And for a moment, the pain blurred be

" she said, squinting t

ntly, but my

le at first.

t instantly. "

ly. "I think the drink's

er? I will

need to f

allway. I slid out of the booth, leg

n finished ha

*

m – Mome

g keeping me tethered to earth. Cold water hi

ped. My heartb

twisting lower, threading th

ing was

e restroom, panic sli

d. The lights were too brig

crashed into

Som

s. My fingers curled into a jack

into a face I

. Cold eyes like

t him... steady. Co

sked. My breath caught his sc

he said. His voice w

ning," I whispered. My voice tre

n't let

ith me,"

errifying se

*

hael

les and overpoured whiskey. Jazz murmured through hidden

e head of the table, ja

nal charmer. Strategic snake. Beside him, Cla

smoothly, sliding a glass toward Michael. "W

le didn't quite

slowly. He wasn't stupid.

was

taste. The way his chest clenched. The sudden

tincts s

standing with quiet con

calmly out

ng inside him

t. His vision too sharp

restroom on instinct.

Leaned over the sink. Sp

idn't

fingertips tingled. His heart

hing's

he door

tu

saw

ress. Glazed ey

aut

, reaching for anythi

instinctively

feel right,"

ther

ke he was the only thing

e couldn't explain

o go," she

e you," he s

o he was. He didn'

knew w

to get her

e didn'

*

nwhi

d checked his watch. Clarisse

e too long," sh

," Richard replied, r

d toward th

called, knocking o

an

ed the d

mp

No echo. Ju

e's jaw

lagged

ere Mr. Gray wen

Yes, sir. About ten m

blinked

r. With

pression darke

traightene

coolly. "That w

lowed the direction

time that night ,