watched the spot where Mark had disappeared with Emily. The heat was intense, blistering my exposed

r burn. I tried to crawl, but the movement sent a wave of agony through my body that made me black ou

nscious, half-buried under a c

iated from my leg, which was now encased in a heavy cast. My arm was bandaged

was sitting in a chair by the

move. You're lucky to be alive. You have a compound fracture in y

s raw. "Mark

tightened. "He's he

hope rose in my chest. He wa

re i

er lip. "He's... with Emily. In

t, leaving a co

ha

Just some minor irritation. But Mark insisted she get the best room, a f

there while he saved someone who was barely in danger. And now, he was dedicating all the resources,

n a crisis. It was a complete and total transfer of allegiance. The novel wasn't just a

mouth. For three years, I had lived in a beautiful, carefully constructed lie. Our

e in to che

ing, Ms. Miller?"

band? Mark Johnson?"

ied! He's made sure that poor young lady upstairs has the best of ever

o me. Not anymore. I was the obstacle, the leftover f

to the hollow ache in my chest. This was a pain no

eep. A steady, mechanical rhythm that felt like a clock ticking down on my old life. There was no

made hi

ad to ma

ssica, my eyes

ver of strength. "Can you get me my la

nd then a slow, fierce sm

's time to burn it all down

here was no going back. I was going to end