ana

instantly severing the warm, golden light of the hallway. For three years, this door had been my boundary

was just

pped around me, a protective shell I had built back in my boarding school d

ed lines. Jax's money. Jax's cage. I let my eyes sweep over the silk and leather, feeling absolutely nothing. My mother had always warned

as handle of a battered, black suitcase. I dragged it out. The wheels squeaked. It was the exact same suitcase

tared back at me. Every time Jax crossed a line, every time he let Catalina humiliate me, a new velvet box would

out a pair of scuffed, pink ballet shoes. The ribbons were frayed. I traced the worn toe block with my thumb. I had give

alm. It was the secondary card linked to his corporate account. The leash. I pinched the plastic between my thumbna

led out a cheap, prepaid burner phone.

n the first ri

rying over the sound of the rain hitting the

s been moved to the offshore account," she said.

, Mom," I

shoulders. The chronic tension at the base of my neck simply evapora

with white lilies. Jax's men had delivered them yesterday. White lilies. Cata

felt like a shackle cutting off my circulation. I grabbed the massive st

nightstand. I just opened

beneath its weight, before sliding down into the center of the ar

per shut. The metal teeth locked together with a

gos. No designer tags. I pulled a black baseball cap low over my face. I knew exactly w

moving silently down the servant corridors. I bypassed the

f wet asphalt and lake water. It shocked my lungs, waking me up. I stepped onto the wet

s in the freezing r

lder, right where I had paid cash to reserve

nd, miss?"

aid softly, keep

air freshener and stale cigarette smoke. It was the most disgusting, bea

he driver asked, glancing

" I s

turned my head and looked out the window. The jagged, glowing skyline of Chicago was shrinking. The massive

oors of O'Hare. I pulled a California driver's lice

Eleanor," the agent s

over the speakers. I looked at the dark windows, picturing Jax's face when he walked i

by. "Would you like a beve

t want to enjoy this