Screeching tires. Twisted metal. Blood. So much blood.
A familiar wave of darkness crested within Blake’s chest, threatening to drown him. He gritted his teeth and forced the darkness back into the box where he kept all his demons, safe from prying eyes—including his own.
There, the demons lurked—plotting, scheming, scratching at the inside of the box with their gnarled, poison-tipped nails. Sooner or later, they’d break free, and Blake could only hope he’d be alone when it happened. He didn’t need to drag anyone else into the abyss with him.
“We’ve come a long way.” Landon raised his beer. “From Texas to New York. What a ride.”
“True.” Blake pushed his turbulent thoughts aside and slapped a smile on his face. “But it ain’t over yet.”
“Not even close.”
They clinked bottles.
Blake kicked the box of demons deeper into the recesses of his mind. One day, they’d break free. But not today.
Today, he was going to stop dwelling on the past. That chapter of his life was over.
It was time for a new one to begin.
Chapter Three
Farrah sent out eighty resumes in one week.
The number of responses she received? Zero.
Of course, it was early. The job market in New York was brutal; it could be weeks or months before she heard back.
That was the ugly truth and not one she was keen on sharing with her mom, which was why Farrah ended their weekly call with guilt twisting her gut.
It’s for the best.
Cheryl Lau was all about stability, and she would freak out if she found out her daughter had quit a safe job with nothing lined up.
“Here.” Her roommate and best friend Olivia Tang pushed a large milk tea across the counter. “This’ll make you feel better.”
“Thanks,” Farrah muttered. She sucked on the sugar-laden drink and tried not to think about what a huge, horrible mistake she’d made. She’d felt so empowered, quitting on the spot, and had been gratified to see how hard Jane tried to get her to stay. Jane had even called Kelly, who’d decamped to the Hamptons until Labor Day. Kelly, true to form, had been furious and made it clear she thought Farrah was a selfish, ungrateful brat who’d be photocopying construction documents at a low-rent studio had it not been for KBI.
Needless to say, she hadn’t incentivized Farrah to stay.
But now, Farrah was having serious doubts about the wisdom of her move. Yes, she had a few months’ worth of rent saved up, but New York was one of the most expensive cities in the world. Even if she cut out all non-essential spending, the living expenses would eat into her rent savings until she only had a one- or two-month safety net.
“It’s only been a week, and you’re so talented. You’ll find a job in no time.” Olivia radiated confidence. “Don’t stress, babe.”
“You’re right.” Farrah’s resume blinked at her from her open laptop.
3.9 GPA from California Coast University. NIDA competition winner. Three top-tier internships. Three years of increasing job responsibilities at Kelly Burke Interiors, where she’d worked on several high-profile hospitality projects, including Z Hotels.
She was a catch. If only she could get someone to take the bait…
“You’re right,” she repeated. “I’m being silly. I just need to be patient.”
“Exactly. Now, since you have plenty of free time, how about going on a date with Ken?” Olivia wiggled her eyebrows.
Farrah groaned. Olivia had been pestering her to go out with her coworker for months.
“You know I hate blind dates.”
“I do, but I also know you haven’t had sex in…hmm, how long has it been again?” Olivia tapped her chin.