Chapter 5 - The Midnight Breach
That night, the city groaned under a heavy rainstorm. The sound of thunder rolled through the penthouse, vibrating the glass walls. Willa stood on the balcony, the key cold and heavy in her palm. Brutus stood behind her, his ears pricked toward the door.
He knew.
She turned the key in the lock. The door swung open, and the gale-force wind hit her like a physical blow. She looked down. Below, the city lights were like glowing embers in the dark. It was terrifying. It was beautiful. It was freedom.
But then she heard it—a subtle, metallic click from the living room. A gun being cocked.
She didn't look back. She knew. Kensington’s men were watching. They weren't waiting for her to leave; they were waiting for her to try so they could justify the termination of her contract.
She turned back to Brutus. "We’re not leaving through the door," she whispered.
She pulled a heavy, velvet curtain from the wall, tying it to the sturdy iron railing of the balcony. It wouldn't get her to the ground, but it would get her to the mechanical ledge of the ventilation system three floors down.
"Come on, Brutus," she whispered.
The giant dog hesitated, then stepped onto the ledge. He moved with a surprising, cat-like agility for his size, his heavy paws finding purchase on the narrow metal.
Willa climbed over the railing, the wind tearing at her hair. She felt the vertigo wash over her, but she focused on the dog. She focused on the cold, wet air.
As they dropped to the ledge, she heard the balcony door burst open.
"She's gone!" a voice shouted.
Willa didn't look up. She scrambled down the maintenance ladder, her hands bleeding, her lungs burning. She was heading for the service elevator—the one Kensington’s men thought was locked. But she had been watching them for three days. She knew how they reset the code.
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She tapped the panel. The door slid open with a groan.
They were inside.
