indsay up, Lindsay had already buried ev

window down, the rush of air scraping at her cheeks wh

ar tonight," Lindsay

es scraping along t

regaining her composure. "Hit

. "Vera, do you also think that without my

ad slipped by, yet sometimes, it felt impo

d away from anything, always living with her heart wide open

w of her former self. She had retreated into a world revolving a

ndsay could keep breathing if

ow. The wind whipped across her skin, and for just a second, s

feels scraped raw. I need something strong to take the edge off. People say a drink can quiet the things that hurt, right? And I wa

acceptance, as if she had already made p

it, but she wished with all her heart that Lindsay would finally s

going all out tonight unti

Youngsters filled every corner, and the place ke

y Vera and Lindsay. Not a single de

into a booth tucked

he room, waking up pieces of peopl

After downing a few fruit cocktails, sh

o follow, but Lind

hall at the end, a route Lindsay

oice drifted in from outside the door. "Why drag me to this dum

hall, in blind panic, she darted across to the other sid

o the broad warmth of someone's chest. Raising a trembl

air, soothing her nerves

that you?" sh

yond the door. "Kyra, stay at the entrance w

inct took over, and she grabbed the man in front o

ate to keep him silent, she clapped a hand over his mouth, t

ured control he kept at work started slipping away. With Li

aist. Shadows played across her face, and in that uncertain l

nctively shrank back, not daring to ma

ense beneath her palm. In her attempt to dodge hi

caped him, rough

ves stretched thin. Her brow knotted, and she shot him a wa

er even nearer. "You're hiding out in here while your husband's mistress i

ck, sweeping her hair aside until the red crescent birthmark stood out against her skin. That shape matched the m