CHAINED BY FIRE

's P

e walls, my button nose catching the faint scent of peonies from beyond. At 22, I was unmoored, my mother, Lily, stolen by an overdose a week ago, her body cold in our Birmingham apartment when I found her. Her stories of the Blackwoods, Giovanni, Adrian, a villa

elt my shield from Birmingham's gangs and dealers like Marco, who'd fed her poison. Lily's tales painted Giovanni as family, Rebecca's employer, nanny to his son

pened, revealing a man with silver hair, his eyes sharp but kind, like a grandfather from

nddaughter. Lily's daughter." I held out the address book, pages worn, my hands shaking.

ened, stepping aside. "Come in, cara. Sit in the living room. You need tea

ffing the rug as I sank onto the sofa. Giovanni returned with chamomile tea, its steam easing my n

ling the mug, my eyes downc

e asked, kind but fir

r things, found Rebecca's address book, your name. Lily talked about you, Adrian, like you were home. I came to... m

bridge. "I could use help, Cece. Stay in th

ens and peonies, a haven I didn't deserve. Alone, I opened my sketchbook, tracing Lily's face, my fragile

-------

gged by a borrowed dress, my eyes downcast. Giovanni stood, his smile warm but guarded. "Adrian, Alicia, this is Cece Ifediora. Her g

. "Welcome. It's good to have another female here, I'm sure we'll be best of friends?" Her warmth w

his arms, neck and back glinting under his black shirt. His stormy gray eyes locked on me, sharp jawline shadowed by stubble, his stare smitten, hungry, like I was

----------

icia joined me, her pregnancy glowing, her story of survival stirring hope. "You're stron

locking the sun, his leather-spice scent overwhelming. He offered a glass of lemonade, his gray eyes smitten,

ough to meet his eyes. He nodded, a faint smirk playing on his lips, and walked away, leaving me breathless, my body tingling with

-------

eo's

e. I'd watched her at lunch, her full lips barely speaking, her chubby cheeks flushing under my stare. I didn't know her, didn't trust her, Nonno's story about Rebecca and

n her defiance, but fragile, too, a flower in a storm. My childhood, my empire, the war with my cousin, they'd hardened me, but Cece? She was a crack in my armor. I