In some ways I ripped some of his future from his hands with one click of a lighter. The moment I got back to Brooklyn from my mom’s house, I snuck into his room, stole the photo, burned it and deleted all the digital copies.

He’s smart enough, of course, to infer that I made a deal with the devil. He’s never said it, but I’m sure he recognizes that my insipid protestations, my explanation for forgoing the SNAPea exposé, are categorically untrue and highly unlikely. He knows I’m working with Peri; he does not know that Peri was behind my gallery representation and the virality of his piece, though I’m certain that he has his suspicions. I told him that my first time meeting her was when she contacted me about collaborating on a new project, that our convergence wasn’t shocking, since she is a contemporary art collector with a personal stake in my story.

Sometimes, though, in the quiet of the dark, when I’m thrashing around trying to sleep, I see Calypso’s eyes in that photo, the terror in them. And for a moment, a very, very brief moment, I question what I’m doing, if entrusting myself to this woman will lead to inner peace, a lifetime of happiness; if at some later point I’ll have to confront the true price of my zealous ambition. But those seconds, they go up in smoke like the picture itself, charred into oblivion.

As I step onto the street, on the way to my date, I wonder what iteration of me this guy knows, if he’s googled me. But does it matter, really, if he does? Odilie, Tom, they’re part of my story. A story that’s beginning to give me the omnipotence, the influence, of which I’d always dreamed.

I head into the night to meet him.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Wowee, another book!

I had an especially difficult time breaking ground with this one, so there are endless people to thank. First off, my agent, Stephen Barbara, who remains a god among men. I have the utmost gratitude for you and your championing of my writing. I am so fortunate to work with such stellar folks at Inkwell, including rock stars Maria Whelan and Alexis Hurley.

Thank you to my wonderful editor, April Osborn, whose thoughtful guidance and understanding of my characters have made this book what it is today. Thank you to the rest of the brilliant MIRA team for their tireless work getting this story into people’s hands. I’m so lucky to have Justine Sha, publicist extraordinaire, and marketing mavens Ashley MacDonald, Ana Luxton and Lindsey Reeder in my corner.

Speaking of publicists, I am eternally grateful to the powerhouse that is Sandi Mendelson and her team, including the wonderful Caroline Connors, Sarah Payne, and the rest of the Hilsinger Mendelson crew.