and the sterile smell of antiseptic. A hosp

dull, persistent pain. I

me. The horror I' d seen on his face in the store was go

," he said. Hi

nately,"

olice are outside. They said you pushed that gi

'hero' like i

refused to pay the ransom. That we told t

," I rem

lyn. A kidnapping, a robbery, a heroic sacrifice. You' re real

own narrative, was breathtaking. He genuinely thought I had orchestrated all of this. That

tic," I said,

worried sick about you. She feels so guilty. She t

t Stella, the perfect daughter, who was pro

rker had found me, told me my birth parents were the Duncans. I had a sliver of

ns I owned. They stood in their marble foyer, looking at me l

nkled her nose. "Is this some kind of

this is what gutter tra

es were cold. They threw me a room in the back, near the staff quarters, and then ignored me. That

face in this hospital room, I

one with him, with

a call. His voice was low, soothing. "I kno

. I swung my legs over the side of the bed. The

up, my l

d to th

tenth floor.

hand on t

oing?" Andrew'

ed the window open. The city

up onto

op! Get down

he arrogance was gone. It was

below. The cars looked like

lyn, p

e. For the first time, I saw real fear in

. This wasn' t a game. Th

truly want

the first time in a long

I ju