rooklyn. Her real home. A place Julian despised. She didn't care which it was-concession or punishment. She pushe

d slammed the door behind her. The deadbolt slid home. She l

f art history books. The faint scent of turpentine from abandon

he screen lit up with a picture of her mother-smiling,

, M

tonight! Seven o'clock at The River Café. He's a surgeo

no. Then Julian's face flash

gnited. "I remember, M

a date. It was a

yee portal. Navigated to the resignation form she'd filled out weeks ago but

een submitted and

ver approve it. But send

om her closet, she pulled out a simple floral dress-cheap, thrifted, pretty. It made her feel like hers

Knock

ndly. A

h the peephole. H

allway, trench coat damp with d

against the far wall

Chloe. I know

the deadbolt, and pulled it open just en

do you

dress, the makeup, the purse. His

ve pl

cel

N

d like that to whore yours

With a doctor. A respectable man. It has noth

n, forcing her backward. The door slammed shut. The tiny entryway was s

ou are not going anywhere. Not see

. He barely flinched. He snatched it and threw it to the

shoulders. "You belong to

with a soft chi

free, diving for the phone, snatching it just before he grabbed

ing C

read across her face. She t

e too

. His eye

n has been processed and approved by the automated system, effec

or junior employees. A loophole he'd ove

en, mind cl

own hard on his hand-stitched leather shoe, and shove

an! It's over. Fo

t into the night. The cool rain

fume lingered. His hand, where she'd scratched him, was bleeding. The rage in h

out his ph

on a date. With a doctor. Pull every piece of security footage from h