as a harsh, steady roar f

cle in her body screaming in protest. A dull, persistent ache had

o stifle a sob, her hand trembling as she

off. The bathro

d him. He didn't look at her, didn't even acknowledge her presence in the bed. He walked straig

dresser. "Be back in the city by

r clicked shut,

Elissa finally allowed herself to break. S

her control shattered. "Paige," she choked out, and the

did he do?" Paige's vo

erything. The stolen movie role, the humiliation in t

phone. "That absolute monster. You have to

," she whispered. "Not yet. I need money, P

e said, her voice softening. "Okay, we'll figure it out. I pulled some strings. It's n

ed down Elissa's face. "T

d and into the shower, scrubbing at her skin until it

ing the cold, silent mansion behind without a backward glance. H

solate part of Lower Manhattan. The building was covered in graffi

ized chaos. A harried-looking crew member with a baseball cap pointe

the cold, gritty railing. The door to the office

blood

, casually flipping through a s

predatory smile spread across

a job. It wa

stopped her. "If you walk out, you'll be in breach of contr

oom. She slowly turned to face

rred, her voice soft as poison. She held up a hanger bearing a skimpy, cheap-looking costu

er nails digging into her palms. Sh

costume from Adriane's hand, and walked into the

dark, ugly bruises on her neck and arms, the haunted loo

d the monitor like a queen on her throne, made Elissa shoot the scene over an

arling," Adriane would call out, a fak

d uncontrollably. The dull ache in her abdomen sharpene

She bit her lip until it bled, focusing on the pain, using it to block out eve