leg. She scrambled up from the deep leather

stantly. The room spun. Her ankle gave out in the oversized heel, an

d. He scowled, opening

through the tension. It was smooth, cold, and dripping

ade Elie's spine lock up. She didn't look back. She practically ra

f inside, and slammed the door shut. Her trembling fingers fumbled with t

the exhaust fan was the only sound. The heavy door complete

She gripped the edge of the cold stone

inally won. She leaned over the porcelain

ten anything all day, there was nothing to throw up. She only g

reamed down her face, mixing with the snot run

lowly subsided. Elie felt completel

d the brass faucet. Freez

lashed it onto her neck, scrubbing her skin frantically, trying to wa

n, falling onto the red silk dress

e looked at her reflection in t

Her eyes were bloodshot and

purple-red hickey Ebert had left was g

adulterated hatred

scrubbed. She rubbed the paper towel back and forth with brutal force. She scrubbed unti

bruise r

he tiled wall and collapsed onto the freezing bathroom floor. Sh

h the force of her suppressed sobs. Her psy

ndmother's frail face lying in the hospital bed. Th

e roughly with the back of her hand. She forced her shak

he took three deep breaths, forcing the panic down into a tight, hard box

her out there, she had to wa

r hand around the cold metal handle. Sh

ked the door and

, the heavy stench of cigars and

Her pupils shr

the narrow hallway right outside the bathroom door. A dis

k fingers, he held a plastic hotel key car

essing," Mortimer whispered

st her. "I have a private suite booked three

in Elie's ears. The blood in