omatically disconnected. Danika's fingers went slack, and the phone slipped
ing windows, staring down at the Eggs Benedict and steaming mil
both hands around the warm glass of milk, her mind
, she had stood outside an exclusive Manhattan private club in the biting wind for two full hours. Wealthy members wa
e woman's personal assistant had answered with the same robotic l
nto a budget coffee shop next door and opened Instagram, w
outure gown in front of a five-tier fondant cake,
my life." Danika had stared at the screen until her tears blurred the text. Her birthday happened to be the exact
op. She had used the last of her cash to buy a guest pass into the club,
med straight into a wall of muscle smelling of cedar and smoke, grabbing the lape
the memory as she set the milk glas
and picked up her crumpled floral dress from t
ned dress back over her head and zipped it up
of complimentary hotel concealer over the bruises
door, walked down the quiet carpeted hallway, and
New York morning wind, hugging her arms around her chest as
old the driver, leaning her temp
of Manhattan and the skyscrapers gave way to
from Delmus Oconnell, her adoptive younger brother and the o
mus's frantic voice immediate
and Dad are losing their minds ri
her knuckles turning whi
highway. I'll be ther
family to go party at some sleazy nightclub," Delmus
hield as the Uber slowed down in front of the
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