Chapter 54
Midnight arrived like a grim mercy. Evan and Leo practically crawled into the penthouse, their movements stiff and robotic. Every step across the expensive foyer was an ordeal; their feet ached with a rhythmic, pulsing heat, their arms felt like lead weights, and their legs threatened to buckle with every shift of their weight.
The pristine, high-end scent of the penthouse, which was usually a mix of expensive candles and filtered air, was immediately compromised. They brought with them the unmistakable, pungent aroma of a shift at a greasy spoon: a cloying cocktail of stale bacon grease, industrial-strength degreaser, and the sour, damp smell of a dirty dishwasher.
“I feel like I’m dying,” Leo groaned.
Evan collapsed onto the leather sectional, not even caring that his stai
