ag onto the floor. It hit th
els slipping slightly on the polished floor. She hit the heavy double doors le
but she ignored it. Her eyes locked
small knees were dug into Ethan's chest. His face was twisted into a mask of absolute, terri
o!" Elaine
wrapping her arms tightly around his small torso. She pulled backward with all her s
hrieked, kicking his
se onto his expensive uniform. He pointe
ng down his face. "I just said he doesn't hav
tirely by raw, defensive instinct. He thrashed violently in Elaine's arms, trying to break her grip to
ining her pastel skirt. She shifted her weight, kneeling
des of his flushed, angry face, forci
voice dropping into a soft, steady, and so
rapidly. His small han
gerating her own slow, deep inhalations.
y vanished, replaced instantly by a well of unshed tears. His lower lip trembled. He collapsed forward, burying his s
ly scooped up the bruised and crying Ethan, pressing an ice
then stood up, picking up the surprisingly light boy. She carried the withdrawn, sil
ncipal's closed door. She pulled a tissue from her pocket and gently wiped a smudge of dirt and Et
t desk. The secretary was typing furiously
d?" Elaine asked, keeping her voice
ting nervously toward the glass entrance doors. She leane
iss Foster, you need to be careful. His father is a very
st the marble floor. She mentally prepared a strict, professional speech. Powerfu
ection. She adjusted the collar of her cardigan, pulling it up slightly to ensure it comp
c chime echoed t
s at the far end of
s slow, deliberate, and carried an immense weight. The low chatter of the re
fessional, reassuring smile
tly. Her facial muscle
alked down the hall
harcoal suit that hugged his broad shoulders perfectly. A platinum watch gleamed on his wrist. He
with absolute indifference. Then, they locked
e hallway and grabbed the expensive fabric of Damian
om her lungs. The realization hit her physical body like
t with. The man she had just signed a ruth
risingly gentle hand on the boy's head, patting his ha
ht on the edge of the carpet. Panic gripped her
l rushed out, sweating profusely, his face flushed
so quickly," the principal stammered
d the principal. He didn
em. He stopped mere inches from her. The familiar, intoxicating scent of his expensive cedarwood col
ard her. It was a formal, polite gesture of greetin
smoothly, his deep voice dripping with a lethal, m
gainst her ribs like a trapped bird. She realized, with a sickening drop in her stomach,
she would look entirely unp
touching the fire she had jus
/1/116574/coverbig.jpg?v=20260520111538&imageMogr2/format/webp)