ARIA

My apartment was completely silent, the kind of heavy, insulated quiet that only money could buy in a city like New York. Rain lashed against the floor-to-ceiling windows, distorting the glittering skyline into a blurred, angry painting.

I stood by the kitchen island, nursing a cup of black coffee that had gone cold twenty minutes ago. I didn't drink it. I just liked the weight of the ceramic mug in my hands. It gave me something to hold onto while my mind raced a million miles a minute.

I tapped the screen of my phone, waiting for the video call to connect.

Maya’s face popped up a second later....