Lana
I walk faster, my chest tight from the strain. My breath is getting shallow. I reach for my inhaler, then stop. If I slow down, my ex’s cousin might catch me. I push through it instead. I pull in a deep breath and force my lungs to behave.
It took me months to get away from Xander Chen. I learned the hard way that staying out of sight is the only smart move.
I still don’t understand why I ever touched that man. It was a mistake. One of the worst.
The Pine Street subway sign appears ahead of me, bright against the dark. It feels like a promise. Just a little farther. I tighten my grip on my backpack strap. Theft has been bad lately. No chances. I take the stairs down to the platform.
Downtown Manhattan feels like a war zone now. The Golden Phoenix. The Kings. Smaller crews everywh
