THE TRUTH IN OUR EYES

the locks until they

with silent latches she didn't remember seeing the day bef

s she tested the study window for

as tr

the house that

as R

as his son. Less than twelve hours since she'd made the one mi

state like a precious heirloom-and she hadn't seen his face, hadn'

eler punishment than

s the study

the same tailored charcoal

son," she said bef

h. Didn't blink

ake h

ke orders i

eplacing fear. "Then take this one

man's eyes-remorse, maybe. Or hesitation

e him. Whe

"He's not a pawn in

er. "But you used him like one

ked. "I was pr

re hidi

om

with the heat of

s. "I thought you were dead. For four years. I

ed, shock

ly stopped searching... you show up under a false

aw tr

no ch

rk laugh. "There's

d two fingers of whiskey, and tossed

ou?" he asked. "You

t rushing into her throat. "T

le

id, don't you?" she whis

he confidence flickered-just

s into abuse," he said. "We we

d me. You l

as a

hreate

dn't

yes, but she didn

d kill the girl I used to be. And I couldn'

desk, knuckles whitening

heir who thought love meant control. I didn't trus

n't re

ed toward

et me see him,

cked her

d. "Then what do

want you to prove yo

opped h

hell does

nto his life like you didn't vanish

t him. "You're

otectin

hurtin

tened. "This is

se your pride is more imp

steppe

rst door on the left, upsta

at him. "And

ecause you know if you leave a

idn't

en a l

ign. No windows. One door,

is

r throat. Somewhere, beyond this wall, her son was sleeping-p

the inside, and he didn't even

ed the closet. It was filled with dr

s dressing h

doorknob rattled.

wasn'

as L

throat t

cia

d her fast, eyes wide. "H

ward. "Where's E

Nanny May. In the north wing. He'

out a sh

ed. "Lucia, I'm going to lose my

red her voice. "There's m

ha

just upset you left. He thinks som

stif

with fear. "If he f

t happen," Elara wh

ld respond, the lock

es wen

Elara

onto the balcony like she'd done a hu

oor o

tepped

ked at

us

air like he cou

e you ta

cious. Elara's already under lock and key. If he finds out her onl