The key felt impossibly heavy in my palm.

Above me, music thumped through the floorboards. Bass pressed against the concrete walls. Drunken voices rose and fell.

I stared at the locked door. Now? While they were distracted?

Then I looked down at myself. Torn shirt, matted hair, wrists ringed in purple. If I walked into that party like this, someone would notice. Ronan would drag me back.

I had to wait until the noise died and people left.

I closed my fist around the key and curled in on ...