as impo

, the sheets still smooth from where I had made them after Julian left. I had spent an hour erasing every trace of him-vacu

erase the memory of

ay, the clink of his keys in the bowl, the soft thud of his shoes being removed. I clo

He never did unless

pty bed and a no

ner tonight.

th. Just Adrian's char

they had yesterday. The walls pressed in on me. The silence screamed. Everywh

henever y

ntain called to

couldn't res

ked beneath the fountain's marble base. My fingers closed around it, and I fe

choices. A ke

raying the man w

pearl necklace Adrian had given me on our wedding night. He had fastened i

t worn i

-

Paris this time, five days-and I found myself counting the hours until

hird nigh

call, his voice on the phone breathle

oom. "Real answers. Not half-truths or careful

as though he had run all the way from wherever he had been. His

he said. "Ask

t just Adrian's brother.

or him to sit on the couch. He did, but kept his distance,

n a stormy night in July, and our mother died before she could hold either of us." His jaw tightened. "Our fath

ete fo

laying his games. He learned to be ruthless, to hide his emotions, to use people like chess pieces. I coul

uilt a riv

stroy Adrian. I wanted him to see that there was another way.

ng down at the city. "And me?

wearing a blue dress, laughing at something your friend said, and I-" He paused. "I couldn't breathe. I had spent m

er approa

erested, and he made his move first. He didn't want y

rned to face him, and the guilt in his eyes confirme

Ye

you le

truth? Drag you into our family's sick little game before you even knew my name? I tried to war

gle line of typed text: Do not trust the Blackwood family. I had assumed it

t was a joke,

him break you. Three years of lying awake at night, wondering if tonight was the night he hurt you

me to me

hing else-every word, every touch, every moment-that was real. That was

band's face and a stranger's soul, and

ppens now

y hand, and this time

what kind of life you want to live.

d in my jewelr