I squinted against the darkness, my eyes searching the mouth of the alley where it met the side street. At first, there was only the glint of wet pavement and a stack of overflowing trash bins. Then, I saw it—a sleek black sedan idling at the very end of the brick corridor. It sat low and silent, a dark obsidian shape against the city’s yellow glow.
Liam had said a car would be waiting. He hadn't told me how I would know it was mine, and I hadn't thought to ask. In the heat of the maintenance closet, the how hadn't mattered as much as the away.
I stood paralyzed for a heartbeat, the brick wall rough against my palm. Was this it? Or was this a trap?
Suddenly, the red glow of the car's brake lights flashed twice in the darkness. It was a signal—deliberate and quiet.
I didn't let myself h
