off a simple grey sweater only an hour ago. The New York City Marriage Bureau was a study in bureaucratic miser

cked her wa

seen. The room was full of nervous excitement, tearful joy, and resigned duty, but

number for Armstrong. It rang once, twice, then went to voicemai

epended on variables lining up perfectly. If Armstrong was a no-show, the whole thing colla

y, you're

oked up. Two seats down, a young woman with pink streaks in her

ring right now," the guy, Ricky, stam

arms, her face twisted in anger. "You don't care a

nk. She needed a contingency. If Armstrong didn't show, she'd ha

e you lo

ly made eye contact with Heidi. The

ianna said, h

looking Elianna up and down. "Did your guy stand you up? Figu

. "Heidi, come on. Leave

anna. "I hate bitches like you. Acting all

idn't move a muscle. She didn't raise her voice. "If

enace behind them was absolute. It was the tone of som

e shrank back, her mouth opening and closing like a fish.

ed Heidi toward the exit. The door swung shut be

over, but so was her patience. She stood up

oulder, the burner phone buzzed in her

t JFK Airport, Terminal 4. Kiana Sol

rong. It couldn't be a coincidence. It was a trap

seful. She burst through the heavy doors of the bureau and stepped out onto the sid

he curb. She sprinted for it, cutting off a

" he

r open and sliding inside. She slammed th

in the mirror, saw the look in her eyes, and decided not t

She had been so sure she was in control. She had the documents. She had the lever

ying her? Or was Kiana just being Kiana,

iana Solis ruin the first move of her comeback. She wouldn't let it happen. She stared out the