ete button, trembling so violently

ur secret

die the day she walked out of the foster system; she went into deep cover, hidden beneath layers of lie

, her breath coming in short, shallow ga

have dialed is

onto the bed as if it were a venomou

sibling from St. Mary's? A creditor from her adoptive pa

Ernestine was a vault. Ever

nique she learned in the crowded dormitory of the orphanage when the older kids

arker, she slashed a thick line through yesterday's date. She wrote the number 144 i

se-her "work costume." It was invisible. Boring. The

ned by Miles Vane, Garrick's best friend. Ever was a junior associate there, a job

as Ever walked past her desk. "Did you

ious. She knew exactly what Ever was

reak stride.

undane glow of the screen anchor her. She could do this. She

at silently on the desk. But inside her purse, tuck

n two. Then a cont

for the bathroom. Locking the st

esti

igh, bordering on panic. "He spiked. 104 de

axis. Her knees hit the

into the phone, not caring

is on the way. We're g

com

he didn't care about the job. She didn't c

desk as she grabbed her bag. Zoe laughed as she sp

phone, his feet up on his desk, looking every inch the relaxed p

red the phone.

asped, her chest heavi

ou don't have family, Ever.

ike ash. "A pipe burst. The landlord says it's flood

han he looked. He saw the sweat on

e?" He smirked. "That building is a

ke. She hated begging, but for

convinced him. The smirk faded

arrick asks,

nk y

e his mind. She ran to the elevat

alk in Queens. The air here smelled different-exhaust, fried

ea. It was chaos. Crying babies, coughing ol

r demanded at th

ic ward.

lastic chair, looking gray and old. And ther

is chest. An IV line ran into his tiny ha

mmy

hed to the side of the crib,

baby. Mom

h cool cloths, singing the lullaby Clay used to hum to t

, his breathing even. Ever slumped into

whispered. "He's okay now.

ed her wat

arp, pierced throu

he screen flashed

ed. She was in Queens. The

ing her voice to b

rm. "Mr. Head asked me to pick you up from the off

art st

t the coffee shop around the corner

be there in

er was forty-fi

ice didn't shake. "I'm walking back t

a frantic apology to Ernestine, and ran out of t