Rain hammered New York like it wanted to drown the city. June tore down a dark alley, barely dodging puddles and piles of trash. Her lungs burned. Boots pounded behind her—loud, angry voices echoing off the brick.
“She ran this way!” someone barked.
She didn’t dare look back. She shoved past overflowing trash cans, her silk dress catching and tearing on a rusty nail. The rip sounded huge in the alley’s hush. She ducked behind a big metal bin, pressing herself against the freezing wet wall. Her hands shook as she clamped them over her mouth. Breathe. Quiet. Don’t move.
A flashlight beam swept over the bricks, just inches from her head.
“Find her!” another voice snapped. “Ten million dollars, boys. I want her head before sunrise.”
Rain and hot tears blurred together on June’s face. She
