-POV Derby
The heavy carpeted hallway of the hotel penthouse suite felt like it was miles long. My heels hit the floor with a rhythmic, muted thud that sounded entirely too loud in the morning quiet. I didn't look back. I kept my eyes locked on the glowing white arrow above the elevator doors at the end of the hall, treating it like a finish line.
If I could just get inside that silver box, I’d be safe. The spell would be broken.
*It’s over,* I told myself, my fingers tightening around my bag strap until my knuckles turned white. *You gave him your name. He gave you his. The debt is settled. Now you walk away, and you never, ever look back.*
It was a beautiful lie, a textbook piece of self-preservation that my brain was desperately trying to buy into. I needed it to be true. I needed F
