Ariel's fingers tightened around her phone. For a brief, dangerous moment, she had forgotten. Forgotten the weight at the back of her neck. Forgotten the feeling of being watched, forgotten that nothing about tonight was her choice.

Stella's laughter still echoes faintly in her ears, warm and careless. George's easy smile, the way they spoke to her like they didn't give a damn about how ugly her past might be.

She had let herself enjoy it. And now...

~ Time to leave

She felt a ...