i P

AM, I stood in the subterranean

. Tucked into bay four was the familiar black armored

de, handing a manila envelope containing my pa

chirped, flashing me a thumbs-up in the r

didn't look up from his screen once. He didn't acknowledge my presence, acting

glass-walled arena concourse,

shadows of the rear seat. "My office

ors into the bustling lobby, clut

gan to vibrate in my pocket. Brandyn. Again. He had been

d smile curving my lips. It w

stepped into an empty elevator car. I didn't bother l

have to talk to me. I'm so sorry about last night. I didn't mean any of i

into a sickeningly sweet coo that made my own st

e sounded hopel

eel doors. "It's just that my boss is so demanding. He insists on taking up all my personal time afte

im stand outside the restaurant in the freezing wind all night li

second floor. A crowd of corporate lawyers and PR execut

els. A strong, familiar hand shot out and

athed, looking up

ile f

owded cab, was Kurt Duran. His ice-blue eyes were gleaming with

htly it sent a shockwave down my spine. He didn

res

I wanted to melt into the floorboards. I hadn't real

f a toxic ex," I whispered frantically, trying

side. "Careful, Pittman. If you keep complaining about my ma

re owner of the franchise insist on riding the cramped staff elevators

nd I practically bolted out of the cab

sment into pure, relentless productivity. I finalized the stress models, prepped the

the last file, I glanced

cy exit signs glowing green against the walls. The steady hum of the cen

chin, grabbed my satchel,

randyn. He had been waiting at

of the dark office and posted it to my Close Friends story with

wn arrow beside the passenger elevator. This wa

oan of stressed cables, the brushed-metal doors

doors slid shut with a

hen, with a violent, ear-splitting scr

terrifying fraction of a seco

a bone-shaking slam, locking

ry light

ng blackness swa