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It’s a great question. The truth is, I don’t know what I’m thinking. I don’t know anything.

“I miss you both,” I croak. “I miss having someone to call when everything goes wrong. Someone who’d tell me I’m not crazy. Or that Iamcrazy, but they love me anyway.”

The pigeon, having heard enough “woe is me,” flies off. The wind picks up. I’m alone again.

I wipe my face with the back of my hand. My cheeks are wet. When did I start crying?

It doesn’t matter. Nobody’s here to see.

Or at least, that’s what I thought.

But when I turn around, I see, of all people, Kir on the far end of the roof. He hasn’t seen me, I don’t think. His back is to me and his legs are dangling over the precipice.

For a horrifying minute, I think he’s about to jump. Then I realize he’s just sitting, posture broken, looking every bit as miserable as me.

I hesitate for a second. Then I walk over.

My footsteps crunch on the gravel. Kir doesn’t turn around. Either he doesn’t hear me or he doesn’t care.

When I get closer, I see why. His suit jacket is gone, his shirt is untucked and wrinkled, and his hair is a mess. There’s a bottle of something brown leaning against his hip.

“… Kir?”

He flinches. Then he turns his head just enough to see me.

“Rae.” He sounds completely wrecked. “Fancy meeting you here.”

I sit down next to him, though not too close, for fear that, somehow, Lukas will see and react poorly. The concrete is freezing through my skirt.

“You look like hell,” I observe.

“That’s funny. I feel like it, too.” He lifts the bottle and takes a swig. “Want some?”

“It’s three in the afternoon.”

“So that’s a no?”

I don’t answer. I just look at him.

His eyes are bloodshot, as if he hasn’t slept in days. There’s a bruise on his cheek that’s fading to yellow at the edges. It looks like someone hit him.

“Kir, what happened to you?”

He laughs caustically. “What do youthinkhappened?”

“Your father?”

“Give the girl a prize, folks!” He applauds sarcastically, then takes another slug of his drink. “Though I suppose, technically, he already did. Five million dollars’ worth.”

I wince. “I didn’t ask for that.”

“I know.” He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. “Doesn’t matter, though. You’re his now. That’s how this works.”

“I’m nothis. I’m not anyone’s.”

Kir looks at me. There’s something broken in his eyes. It’s heart-wrenching.

“You don’t get it yet,” he sighs. “But you will.”