changing room and into the ball

ery' s tall, slender frame, the ragged, high-slit gown looked less like a disaster and more like a piece of

is t

ks' s secretary... M

.. she' s pul

s attention. His smile froze. His eyes locked on Ellery, and his expression darkened, a storm o

, turned to a mask of ugly, contorted fury. She mar

you do to

carrying in the sudden quiet. "I was simply makin

couldn' t admit to tearing the dress herself, and Ellery' s

g a sweet smile on her face and

d go say hello to t

frowned. "Kenzie, you know you' re not

edatory as she looked at Ellery. "That' s what we

llenge, a public as

e politics of the evening were importa

s voice tight. "You he

s an

le to table, a conquering queen showing off her prize. At

Parks Cor

Ellery. "Ellery, won' t

oon. Ellery drank them all, her face a mask of professional composure. The alcohol burned a path down her throat

room. She barely made it to a stall before she was violently ill, her body wracked with painf

e looked at her reflection in the polished marble wall. Her

zzed. A text

t back out here.

s carried. She dry-swallowed two, the bitter taste coating her tongue. She took a deep breath,

as a nauseating, blurry mess. Through the haze, she saw Kenz

hat made her giggle. He looked up and saw Ellery, an

ou go wait in the car?

lumn for support, her stomach twisting in a fresh

She came back and linked her arm through

she said, her voice drip

ors closed, and

enzie' s sweet smile vanished, replaced

AC

ecting with Ellery' s chee

. "You think you' re so clever, turning my plan back on

act. But a lifetime of suppressed rage, fuele

nd and slapped Ke

to switch," Ellery said, h

her eyes wide with disbelief. "You hit me? Y

dangerously quiet. "I' m off the clock. An

but at that exact moment, the elevator jolted violently. The lights

shuddered,

ing shriek and clawed

s happ

not even Dawson, knew. The walls felt like they were closing in. The air grew thick and heavy.

ing but static crack

er phone, her voice a h

ator is stuck! I'

ragged gasps. Black spots danced in her vision. The lack of air, the

outside. Dawson' s voi

! Are yo

me out of here

frayed. The emergency brake is holding, but it' s not stable. We c

of si

nt us to save f