first chill of the evening air and pulled out he

y, it

ng three jobs to pay her tuition, didn't need much expl

e after Seraphina briefly explained what had happened. "Where are

ve the driver Holly's address in Brooklyn. As the cab merged into traffic, her newl

saying about you to his frie

gnore the bait. But a darker impulse won out-she needed to know the worst of it.

her voice tight, "ch

l and recognized the staff, slipping in through the service entrance at the back with her heart pounding in her chest. In

booth. Scarlett nestled against him, laughing at everything he sa

"Seriously, Ethan? You don't remember anythin

"Four years? What four years? Keeping a quiet, obedient pet around? That would've been

upted aroun

she went to your place today. Did s

of concern. "Don't be so cruel, you guys. It's not her fault. She's just... having trouble let

tative. "Everyone, listen up. I don't want to hear that woman's name again. From this day forward, Scarlett Finch is the only wo

ck in unison as glasses rose into t

d, brutal truth. Quietly, she slipped out of the booth,

, it was as though a s

ith carefully crafted shock, cutting thr

sic seemed to soften, the laughter faded, and doz

y expression. He hadn't expected her to follow him here. Aro

s actually

him now? That's s

ramatically, her eyes wide with manufactured fear. "Ethan,

-girlfriend, unstable and pitiful. Looking into Ethan's cold, evaluating eye

g toward her. Each step felt like a judge approaching a condemned prison

at her nails dug into her palms. She would not cry. She

the crowd crashed over her, but her resolve remained firm. They had already taken every