w York sunrise filtering through her unadorned apartment window. She

r, she looked tired. The shadows und

cts. Her thumb scrolled automatically, a ges

arc

. A tiny, foolish spark of hope?

of the green Bentley pulling away with another woman insi

had t

Then she pressed down. A confirma

essed

The space it left was hollow, empty, but also strangely

for her. Inside was a dress of deep sapphire-blue silk. It was simple, elegant, and devas

n her stomach. She applied her makeup with a careful hand, trying t

d at her reflection. The woman in the mirror was a stranger, a ghost from her pas

clubs in the city. A place she used to enter on her own t

t see there. Terrified of the pit

video call. Krissy's face, brigh

"Look at you! Where ar

tant client." She didn't mention the blind date

gh Althea's facade. "Honey, you look stunning. Go and kn

l, warm coal in the c

"How was Dr. Foster? Please tell me you are n

The doctor was nice," Althea said vaguely

the fresh sting of that name. She looked in the mirror one

he told herself. Fo

called was wai

anager of the Elysian Club, a man named

carried the unmistakable weight of power. It was Art

Arthur said. "He requires a quiet table. A corner

already scrambling to make it happen. "We w

expanse of Manhattan, Damarcus Everett fastened his c

l. "Ms. Hayes has just left her apartme

A flicker of something cold and shar

imidating affair of polished brass and liveried doormen. She saw

ag so tightly her knuckles were white. She felt

e heavy door

n a perfectly tailored dark suit, and when he saw her, his ey

his smile warm. "

ouch steady and reassuring. Together,