Chapter 11

　　Lily

　　As we enter the conference room,I take a deep breath,trying to calm myself down.It doesn’t work.My heart is racing,and I can feel sweat starting to gather in uncomfortable places.I haven’t smoked in forever,and even though I don’t consider myself an addict,it did help me calm down.

　　But I need to learn how to function without it.I’m determined about that and take another deep breath.This is just a meeting,I remind myself.It’s not the end of the world.

　　Wesley,oblivious to my panic attack,takes a seat at the head of the long table.I sit down next to him,feeling like a mouse in a room full of lions.The other men in the room are all tall and muscular,their suits tailored to fit their frames perfectly.They stare at me with cold eyes,and I shrink into my seat,wishing I could disappear.