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Chapters (82)
  1. Cover
  2. ALSO BY JAMIE BRENNER
  3. PART ONE
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. PART TWO
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. PART THREE
  64. 59
  65. 60
  66. 61
  67. 62
  68. 63
  69. 64
  70. 65
  71. 66
  72. 67
  73. 68
  74. 69
  75. 70
  76. 71
  77. 72
  78. 73
  79. 74
  80. Acknowledgments
  81. About the Author
  82. What’s next onyour reading list?

“Well . . . thanks,” she said when Connor dropped her off on Commercial Street. He’d offered to drive her home, but she said she wanted to walk a bit, so he parked the car in a lot on the East End.

“How about dinner tomorrow night?” he said.

She hesitated. “Look, today was fun. But I’m not planning on being here much longer.”

“Big plans back in the city.”

“Yep. World domination.”

“I’d expect no less,” he said. “How about this: I just might pop into the store now and then to see if you’re still around. I wouldn’t call it stalking exactly, but if you’re still around . . . then dinner?”

He looked so sincere, so deeply hopeful, she could only nod. Maybe, just maybe, this change of scenery would change her luck.

34

Paulina, January 1994

The photography studio bordered Alphabet City, which had a fabulous edgy energy that was unmatched anywhere in the world. Paulina had loved this area of New York, but still, it wasn’t enough to keep her rooted in her hometown. She couldn’t stay in any one place for too long; she’d had to really fight her parents to drop out of college, just barely convincing them that she’d learn more traveling the world.

After today’s Pavlin & Co “Electric Rose” shoot, she’d be jumping back on a plane, looking for the next adventure. The tickets were in her bag, and a friend was on standby to meet her in Africa for a trip to a wildlife sanctuary. But for today: work.

The music was already blasting when she walked into the studio—Tupac’s “Keep Ya Head Up”—and the space was buzzing with the energy of the stylists and makeup artists and the photography crew. Paulina enjoyed modeling—she’d done a bunch of it in high school, a lot in Europe. She loved the constant go-go-go, which was how she caught the travel bug. But since she didn’t need the money, after a while she shook herself free of the punishing schedule and unrelenting pressure and just kept the travel part.

She arrived to set dressed in tight jeans, a simple white button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and Converse sneakers. She wore ropes of gold chains around her neck, including one dangling with animal-shaped charms. Her Prada bag was a gift from Miuccia herself after a night of partying together in Milan.

A Black guy dressed in leather pants and a Soundgarden T-shirt ushered her into the makeup chair. It was a typical fashion scene except for the armed guards; they had the Electric Rose on the set.

She spotted her sister’s boyfriend hovering near wardrobe. Paulina was happy for Elodie. Liam Maybrook was incredibly attractive and seemed liked a genuinely nice guy. Elodie was moody and never had a positive thing to say to her, but Paulina hoped now that she was getting laid regularly she’d be more cheerful.