The night air felt like a cold, sharp blade against Lyse's skin as she finally stepped out of the atelier. Every muscle in her body screamed for rest, and her mind was a dizzying blur of silk, silhouettes, and the haunting memory of Brooke's memorial. She trudged toward the parking lot, her heels clicking rhythmically on the asphalt, half-expecting that the petite blonde woman, Honey would have grown tired of waiting and vanished into the night. Part of her almost hoped for it; the prospect of a quiet, solitary Uber ride was beginning to sound like heaven.
But as she reached the edge of the lot, a single, obsidian-black SUV sat idling, its headlights cutting through the low-hanging mist. The passenger door swung open, and Honey stepped out, her bright blonde hair practically glowing under the amber streetlights. She gestured toward the vehicle with a polished, inviting smile that reached all the way to her eyes.
"Ready to go, darling?" Honey called out, her voice like wind chimes.
