He Tortured, Her Unexpected

e ye

rs in Florence

r order, "Don't come back until you've c

adoptive parents, their face

ghteen, confessed my love for Eth

me, brutally. "Improp

Napa Valley, at the

cream-colored, sophisti

ing inv

avilion, my steps measured, my

the fir

rove I was

I remembered, sunlight fi

was

wasn'

ctress, his new, very publi

her voice dramatic, "Oh,

top

A smirk touc

e into a deep,

n front

e said, his voice ca

h, who were lounging near

me, his eyes f

l, look wh

ght you learned your

ation washed over me, hot and

turned his c

are you d

, any recognition of the years we'

calm I di

ou, Ethan.

steady, sur

invite you to

ut the i

and, his eyes blazing wi

word. "You expect me

and then he ripped the

red cardstock fluttered

ll get my attention?" he sneered.

ched, but I s

t a stun

is furi

ying Noah

air. Noah. His best

eadable crossed Ethan's fa

eled back,

my pr

s in grade school, his s

. A vintage Mustang for my six

r a weekend, just because

mpagne bubbles tickled my n

o my room, his ar

leaned in, his lips brushin

nd bergamot, had filled

at ghost of a kiss, by years o

him I l

had turne

impossible. W

d a hamm

k again that night, des

ss him, begged him to admit

is hands clenched into fists

me away. Fir

ression like a marble statue, announced

matum de

ears of

, pulled me back to the present, to the torn

veni

e, his eyes li

out,

er, his arm possessiv

away fro

ening, "We're heading to my plac

rting the honeymo

g a triumphant, pityin

ache, a dull throb tha

aughter of Ethan' s friends fol

d with the keys

were tr

ayes estate, the gravel

istracted, I misjudged a curb

thud, and th

re. Of

aring at the

k black SUV sped

e. "Ethan, isn't that Ava?"

ection, his face unread

d, the SUV disappea

ing, his voice laced with that familiar d

n, sharp and deep. He

to his adoptive sister, stra

once thought he

the car, feeling

buzzed in

out. A messa

ything went okay. Call me when

tant smile to

adfast, c

s my

ad t

ushing away the image o

tow truck. I wo

heartbroken girl Eth

pson, soon to

would

d to