Chapter 80

We catch an elevator down; when the doors open, I pull Leila along, following others leaving the building, hoping I’m going the right way. Ahead of us, I spot one of the men who had been with us upstairs and follow him, dragging a silent and tearful Leila along by the hand with determination, my heart thudding through my chest.

With people in the way hindering us, it feels like the longest time ever before we finally get outside. Arrick appears, looking less frantic, and shakes his head in our general direction like this is something normal every day. I feel ill with nerves, but my outward demeanor is that of cool and controlled PA Emma; she was always best in a crisis.

There seems to be a crowd in the street. Pulling Leila by the hand, I spot familiar faces and finally see two men holding Ben back. His face is bloody, his perfect hair messy, and his shirt pulled and torn. He’s yelling and struggling to get loose, but they have an arm each and are doing their best to kee