lla g

massive gulp of air. It felt like she had j

steering wheel. Her manicured nails dug so dee

ht. The violent thunderstorm was gone. The

f a stationary car. Sunlight poured th

ibs. She took a deep breath. Her lungs expanded smoo

a classic yellow New York taxi cab. The two cars were touching, a

slowly raised her eyes and lo

medical gauze on her forehead. There were no dark circles of exhaus

s she reached over to the passen

power button. Th

ld white numbers. It was

aylie used the distraction of this accident to

d voice of Dorman cutting her off. The terrifying feeling of the brake pedal hitting the

in greedy, desperate breaths of air. A wave of hysterical, broken laughter threatened to bubble up in her throat, choking her. Dead. She had been dead. She had felt her ribs snap and her lun

n her eyes evaporated, hardened by the crucible of betrayal she had just

was

nd came from the gl

anding on the Manhattan sidewalk, peering through

u hurt?" Brenda shouted through the g

hought Brenda was just a clumsy, loyal servant. Now, she remembered how

on the armrest. The window rolled

d slowly. She lock

armth. It was the stare of a predator loo

ysically took a step back, her shoulders hunching un

stepped out onto the pavement. Her designer

nd looked down. The bumper had a scr

rk curled the corner

the butterfly that flapped its wings an

door and crossed her arms over her chest. She looked down at Brend

d. Her voice was perfectly calm, s

ack of tears or panic. "M-miss? S

undeniable authority, "call the estate. Tell them I've been

the sudden shift in her mistress's a

, pulled out her phone, and walked

ustling avenue of Fifth Avenue. The yellow cabs, the

p breath of the exha

n wanted a corporate pawn. Ivor wanted

against her arm. She was going to give them exactly what they wante

ip their lives apart, piece