lingered on the

r up and practically

doorway before the ele

cost more than Evie's rent, her f

ng Evie's arm and hauling her in

could even speak. Illa ripped it open, pulling out the

dened. They kept widening until Evie tho

iams?" Illa whispered, her f

h. "What is this, a wine stain? I can

igned the note 'G.' I've been calling him Gus in my head.

er face pale. "Evie. Do y

ie said, rubbing her temples. "He's probably a he

ght. Right. Of course." She laughed, a nervous, high-pitched

ght w

call him by his first name. We call him 'Sir' or 'Please Don't Kill Me'. He's a shark. If he got married, it woul

ve of relief. "Not him. My Gus

firmed. She walked over to the massive floor-to-ceiling window tha

It was separated by a gap of maybe twenty feet, close

d. "Don't look at it too lo

rench coat tighter. "Well, I

x-boyfriend Darrin is probably camping out at your apartment.

brother is

f a hostile takeover of some tech firm. He hasn't

beautiful, airy, and unfortunately, the

"I'll get you some honey

hone buzzed. A text f

? Hea

ped a beat. It

y. Who are you? We need

antly. Three dots d

day. Drink some water. I'm out o

t the screen.

g, she typed. T

was a mistake last

e phone onto the bed just as Ill

ng with?" Illa aske

said quickly.

us. Sounds like a plumbe

f takeout sushi that Evie could barely keep down

elow, a river of light and noise. The air was cool, biting at

errace was dark, a slab of concrete and sh

, a

lared in the darkness

e f

hed itself fro

eaning against the railing, facing out t

rd her, carrying that

y he stood, weight on one leg, shoulders ten

ned hi

gle of a jaw and the glint of eyes reflecting

ed in her chest. Was that I

could

e, and yanked the curtains shut. Her heart was

" she told herself. "Ju

buzzed o

ie. The neighb

ext, the blood drai

e knew whe