Descent (Black Heart Romance presents Heaven & Hell)

closed. I do, and I’m absolutely swimming in it, but it doesn’t matter. I’m not trying to make a fashion
statement, I’m just trying to get out of here before I’m caught. Closing the coat around me tightly and
snatching Marie from her blanket bed, I make my way to the door as quietly as I can. I still feel like
I’ll get caught before I manage to leave, but when the elevator doors close and I’m inside, I finally
breathe a little easier.
Snuggling Marie close and kissing the side of her face, I tell her, “We made it, girl.”
She tilts her head to look up at me, not remotely convinced that leaving was an emergency.
I ignore that and pretend she’s totally on my side.
I won’t feel entirely like I’m able to relax until we’re out of his building, but when the doors
open to the lobby, he’s not standing there—somehow dressed in a suit already—with his arms
crossed over his broad shoulders giving me a very unimpressed look as I attempt to flee.
I’m in the clear.
It feels too easy, but I make my way to the door. A different doorman is on duty today, and to his
credit he doesn’t even blink seeing me rush out with my hair all a mess, a cat clutched in my arms,
and a man’s jacket hanging off my body. I must look stark raving mad, but he simply smiles and opens
the door for me.
I thank him and pass through the doorway urgently, lending even more evidence to the
appearance that I’m mad.
I stop on the sidewalk, aware of the sudden—almost reassuring—noise of the bustling city. It
restores a bit of normalcy. People cross the sidewalk in front of me, not seeing or not caring what I
look like.
Moments ago I felt like I was one wrong move away from being a rich man’s captive, but out
here on the busy New York City sidewalk, I’m a normal person again, and Calvin Cutler is just a
really bad dream I need to finish shaking off. I’m awake. I’m free.
It was too easy.
Getting a cab probably won’t be. Not only because I look like I’ve just escaped an asylum and
probably can’t pay, but I also have a cat with me.
Marie looks around at the sights. I don’t usually bring her outside unless we’re going to the vet,
so she side eyes me like I’d better not even try it.
“We’re going home,” I tell her.
I’m not sure if she’s the one who needs to hear it or I am, but I hold onto her and start making my
way down the sidewalk. It’s too far to walk all the way to my place, but I’ll worry about hailing a cab
once I’ve put some distance between us and Calvin’s building.