asons on 57th Street. The doorman, bundled in a heavy coat,

ional mask didn't slip, but Zoe saw the flicker of surprise in his e

he car. "Easy, easy," he murmured, shi

er, eyebrows raised. "That'll be forty-five," the driver said. "Hazard pay.

t even looked at the meter. He hadn't looked at h

sh at the driver-too much, she knew, but she didn't care about the cha

and she narrowly missed getting her coat caught in th

nt of expensive lilies and polished mahogany filled her nose,

e night manager was handing him a key

te, Mr. Sterli

usu

head. How many times had h

elevators. She felt like an int

leaned her head on Liam's shoulder, letting out a s

oice thick with concern. He tigh

ght her reflection in the mirrored doors. She looked washed out, her eyes wide

dinged at t

the Manhattan skyline, now obscured by the swirling whit

sofa. "Zoe," he said, not turning

tone he used with his assistant, or th

k of indignation flared in her chest,

his brow furrowed. "

covering for him, of helping him, of being the 'good friend.' Sh

d ice. Her hands were shaking so bad the ice

r. The girl's eyes were clear now, the pain seemi

ed a glass

fingers brushed the gla

" Jade

the front of her cashmere sweater, drench

g back, water drip

said, her voice flat. There was

oe!" Liam

wide with shock. "She.

it to Zoe. He began dabbing at a tiny drop of water that had landed on Jade's leathe

he air out of Zoe's lungs. "L

, tossing the napkin on the tab

g entirely on Jade. "Come on, let'

last look over Liam's shoulder

toward th

. Her voice was

d on the frame. He looked back, impatie

now,

ar him say it. She needed him to destroy

said. The lie was so

e drifted out, sugary and low. "Lee.

ossed his face that Zoe had never seen dire

to step int

eeve. "Liam, please. You can't just

The violence of the moti

ous. "Don't overstep. You are my best friend. Yo

st

n. By calling her a sister, he stripped her of the

oldly. "And not a word of t

the bedroom and

was the loudest soun

d suffocating. From behind the door, she heard a giggle, then the murmur of

r coat was heavy with water, darkening the fabric. She was shive

ff haphazardly next to Jade's combat boots. They lay ther

e in here. The air

rned a

ls slipping on the carpet. She jammed the elevator button, h

o get away from him, from the

ll inside. She rode it down to the lobby, ignorin

e revolving doors an