r Va

and humid, clinging to my ski

her waiting

uin of my torn dress to my chest, my heels clicki

and the Plaza-away from the prying eye

into a narrow alleyway that c

selves from the dark bric

ic streetwear, yet they moved with the d

top

hem acknowledged. His

y," I stammered, insti

one replied, cracking his knuckles. "W

te

the first man warned. "He's no

ut in these heels,

ful of my hair, yanking my

but his hand clamped instant

," he

drove his fist

ding, stealing my

tching, but the iron grip

n't touc

ly how to inflict agony without leaving

ribs with calcu

ck until the shoulder joint

pered into my ear before shoving me viole

filthy asphalt, gasping f

re it had fallen

s rec

memo button the split second I

them laughed as their footsteps r

ned to the alley before I dr

I stopped t

nd limped to the mai

grime on my face, the way I cradled my ribs-and

ined exam table, shi

erely bruised, t

however, wa

into the socket, I bit throug

or swu

n wal

was one of anno

ondition. "I have a room full of donors asking where m

tacked,"

wned, his impatien

de the hote

take you

N

n wh

d, lifting my phone with a

face we

tart thi

it," I insiste

men's voices filled the s

regards... Tell th

n lis

w tigh

and took the ph

of it choking me. "She sent her fath

at the phone,

culating. "She's erratic. If I bring this to her father, it s

red, tears finally spilling o

ian stated coldly. "Jus

overed over

doing?" I aske

the allian

it d

ed the r

he deleted the bac

the phone

said firmly. "You resis

ked his

Estelle is still sha

you," I

to the door. "You always have been. Tha

alke

ribs and a dislocated shoulder to go hold t

y body faded, replaced

t just c

iced me t

t his p

is punc

able, my legs sh

crying

and looked out at the

was scheduled for

wouldn't wai