Chapter 6

Olivia POV

I stepped out of the gallery and onto the pavement.

It was raining again. Of course it was.

I remained on the sidewalk, letting the water soak through my clothes. I didn't bother looking for an umbrella.

I thought about Marcus and his attempt to offer me a job. The arrogance of it. He thought he could buy my presence. He thought I was merely a problem to be solved.

I raised my hand and hailed a cab.

"JFK," I repeated as I slid into the backseat.

The car sped through the wet streets. The city lights blurred into streaks of neon color against the glass.

I rolled down the window. The wind hit my face, cold and wet and smelling of ozone.

It felt like freedom.

I took a deep breath, filling my lungs with the icy air.

"I am not a business asset," I whispered to the wind. "I am Olivia Hayes."

The skyline receded behind me. The Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, the tower where Marcus lived-they all shrank until they were just toys in the distance, insignificant and small.

I closed the window.

The rest was a blur of motion. I arrived at the terminal, checked my bag, and swept through security.

Finally, I sat at the gate.

Boarding Group 1.

I stood up.

I walked down the jet bridge, leaving New York behind with every step.

I found my seat. Window.

The plane taxied. The engines roared to life.

We lifted off.

I looked down at the black void below. The rain lashed against the plastic window, weeping for a city I no longer called home.

I pressed my hand against the cool surface.

*Goodbye.*

The plane punched through the cloud layer.

Suddenly, the turbulence stopped. The rain stopped.

Above the clouds, the moon was shining. It was bright and clear and blindingly beautiful.

I leaned my head back against the seat.

I closed my eyes.

I was flying toward a new world. No Marcus. No Izzy. Just me.

And for the first time in years, the silence in my head wasn't lonely. It was peaceful.

I smiled.

The nightmare was over. The dream was just beginning.