The Pain In My Marriage

d open with a d

om a gash above his right eye. His coat was torn. His breath came in rag

tinctively shielding Nova

up in an insta

ch. "Shoot me, Ryder.

you take on

irl on the bed. Then to Layla. "You had

t yourself,"

om. Ryder tightened hi

t tes

taunted. "That's why you clean up after m

tep forward. "

nds slowly. "I didn

n your face and murder in your eyes.

owled. "You humiliated me. You

ou lied, beat me, poisoned my sister, and

for l

twitched toward hi

re through Et

rling like an ani

into a bookcase. Wood splintered. The gun clattered to the

d bolted for the door

hundered on

d, holding a t

n't he

wi

Ethan squar

but his limbs were already going limp. Within

, blood running from a cut on

o check his pu

her, her heart pounding so

pered. "Why com

e knew it was over. Cornered anim

-

locking him in the storm shelter beneath the hous

the flicker of contro

ctory was

, the powe

te phones h

s in the snow-fresh ones,

ne," he

ch, staring at the distant

grimly. "Lo

e're no

t until they're bo

-

next three da

nd her appetite growing. But the atmosphere i

ouldn't

nd chained beneath the ho

haunted

othing w

re m

never b

the second night. Ryder

pulling her into his arms.

hoked. "Over and ov

. "He made you. He corner

st. Ryder held her tightly, letting he

n't ki

ask for

st st

ore than any pro

-

h day bro

rrived just

h the trees on foot. Her face was pale, lips

come with

with a pr

m," she begged

h the barred gate. "Why sh

yla. You think you're winni

in the basemen

ned for that. He told me... if it

turned to ic

id the end would come whe

e her, gun drawn. "W

eamed. "But if you let me tal

. The girl who poisoned her sister. Li

was fear in Kat

l f

yla said tightly. "And I'

-

her down into

ned. Chains looped around his wrists and

favorite

our life, you bas

uttural sound. "Too

nt," she demanded. "The la

ward. "You re

drained of colo

iled

gh the intercom. "What the

dened. "It's al

r, grabbing Katherine by th

luff. Ethan said he had-he said if the world turned on hi

it?" Layl

d like she was

ted footage-making it look like you were part of the do

ggered ba

leak it all.

-

aced u

internet

s already

was eve

oe Under Investigatio

Layla Threatening Ashf

n? New Evidence Sugges

at the scre

e," Ryder said grimly. "He

the villain,"

the hallway, eyes

," she said. "Why a

"Because he's trying to

laptop shut. "We

-

his voice low. "There's

up, exhaust

nor fraud. The abuse. The body. Every piece of dir

ed. "What if

eyes. "Then we go do

haky breath.

s bur

-

ned it in

l live

l conf

Layla cou

wer cu

back door

lled the

ots e

amed from

a tu

ree of chains, a knife in one hand

ou," he w

yone