ce Hor

xtraction ha

the very core of my existence, siphoning

ed for anesthesi

n. I wanted to sear the memor

ed into the offices of

pulled back into a severe knot, and I wore no makeup to mask the death

keycard to

the little red light bl

ss De

on, my finger lingering on

tionist's voice crackle

nto the lobby I had designed. The vein-cut marble floors, the vaulted ceiling

eption and went st

or was

sitting i

tion-and laughing at something on her monitor. She looked sickening

said, my voice cuttin

ed back, a smirk curling her lips. "Julius said you were tak

t o

She stood up, smoothing the fabric of her skirt with exaggerated slowness.

unfurling them carelessly. "Like this Museum proje

hat is a load-bearing wall, Kenzie. If you put glass

ns aside. "You're always so negative

was an intern, hurried past the door. He froze w

clear. "Thank God. The union reps are furious. Kenzie changed the concrete suppli

"Keep your head down. Don't le

ore

e boomed from

security guards I didn't recognize.

demanded, stopping inches from

I own forty-nine per

to the desk between us. "You're disruptive. Unstable. The Bo

dry, humorless laugh. "Yo

nce. We're buying you o

ing to a dangerous low. "I brought the contrac

e shouted, his face flushing a mott

the guards. "

orward, grabbing my arm. Hi

uch me,"

d from behind the safety of my

is eyes. Only annoyance. Only the look of a man

planted my feet a

sked. "Fine. I'll sell

spat. "You'll get ten,

I burn it down. I will burn t

s laugh. "She's threatening us, J

of every code of conduct,

w the calculation in his eyes. He wanted to im

forward and

slap-it was dismi

ide. The sting bloomed h

silent. Somewhere b

face back to him. I tasted the m

rizing the feeling. The exact weight of his hand. The gleam

ce was dead, void of a

nzie had been playing with. I signed t

g his cuffs as if he had just finis

oved me towar

. I didn't need to

oken me. They thought I

I had just mark