the panic in her chest would just... evaporate. No luck. Her breathin
ng to outrun a train with cinder bl
p some miracle answer if she held it tight enough. The words from her dad's
hting to get her act together. Didn
re they giving me?" Her voice
can wait till that date you mentioned yesterday." Even the guy sounde
was there to say? Finally, barely
ifted toward the subway because, we
hosts-she just sat there, numb. Her body was there, but
re all pale and wired up, nothing flickered in her eyes. Just this blank, heavy star
l like I'm being ripped
them made her want to scream. Like they were bl
g. Then she finally shuffled out to the hospital garden, clutching
. She'd just use whatever she had left, pay out her dad's employees. What else could she do? Ev
lting over spreadsheets, the universe
sided. Her husband, fresh off a plane and still smelling l
s voice had that no-nonsense rumble, a
d-grade school photo, probably. Of course he'd found it. Narima had practically left it on h
, all sly, and g
he couch like, "Come here,
better reason now," he sa
"Better reason? What, sh
in the back of the file. "Alberth Johnson. Old friend.
his-? The college buddy? The one who
saved for his mom's surgery. Was supposed to be
to, her voice soft. "
es shining a little
"even *more* reason to get this marriage sorted.
posed to be, well, helping her, not screwing her over with an arranged marriage. Bu
walking red flag. None of her carefully vetted options ever measured up-till now, suddenly, she'd f
st spotted Santa. "That's him!" she blurted, practi
yes sparkling, just as Elv
ma chirped, latching onto his arm li
She hadn't acted this way in years. Not since-he did the math-y
e was all side-eye and suspicion. Yesterday sh
grinning. "Don't be a little
floated in from the living
"Great. The tamer returns." Narima, of course, he
talk," his dad said, a
spiciously off. Elvano
what'
ook, your mom and I are arranging
you kidd
ma's grip on his arm was ironclad. He clenched
. Why was it so hard for them to get i
an said, voice hard as nails. "We gave you a chance
bit too loud. "Seriously, what's your deal wi
tion way too many times. "We've been over t
keep saying she's so awful-show me something!" Elvan
at on their kid right now. Not when he was still so hung up on Natasha. Not after what happened back in middle
scared. They were just... waiting. For the right mom
r it," Jonathan muttered. "But you'
ly know her! And pretty sure she'd rather not
are sharp, but her smile? Weirdly subtle. N
ano. Better than y
or a split second, his brain ju
the table, like he was handi
ipped it open-and boo
voice barel
Narima's eyebrow did that thing-smug a
ome here to mess with his
clenched so t
Jonathan said, not budging an inc
the folder shut without even read
these people. Seriously. But
ys get to pick wh
ay no to this? Pack your bags. You're out. You're not my s
contin