omatically disconnected. Danika's fingers went slack, and the phone slipped

ing windows, staring down at the Eggs Benedict and steaming mil

both hands around the warm glass of milk, her mind

, she had stood outside an exclusive Manhattan private club in the biting wind for two full hours. Wealthy members wa

e woman's personal assistant had answered with the same robotic l

nto a budget coffee shop next door and opened Instagram, w

outure gown in front of a five-tier fondant cake,

my life." Danika had stared at the screen until her tears blurred the text. Her birthday happened to be the exact

op. She had used the last of her cash to buy a guest pass into the club,

med straight into a wall of muscle smelling of cedar and smoke, grabbing the lape

the memory as she set the milk glas

and picked up her crumpled floral dress from t

ned dress back over her head and zipped it up

of complimentary hotel concealer over the bruises

lat line, she walked back to the bed, picked up her phone, and booked an Ube

door, walked down the quiet carpeted hallway, and

New York morning wind, hugging her arms around her chest as

old the driver, leaning her temp

of Manhattan and the skyscrapers gave way to

from Delmus Oconnell, her adoptive younger brother and the o

mus's frantic voice immediate

and Dad are losing their minds ri

her knuckles turning whi

highway. I'll be ther

family to go party at some sleazy nightclub," Delmus

hield as the Uber slowed down in front of the