An Empire of Ash, A Heart of Steel

wn my life so I could escape it. He sold our shared apartment in less than two days, taking a lowball cash offer without a s

ne. I touched nothing that sang of Kurt, nothing that held a memory of my eight

lence, I nearly broke. A sob caught in my throat, thick and painful. Kaleb's hand

now in Kaleb's possession, rang. He glanced

, putting i

unadulterated annoyance. "I need her to sign the transfer of rights for

was a sound I'd never heard fro

iculous. Tell her to sto

ce chillingly calm. "Consider this her signature. Any further contact

ord. Kaleb then smashed the phone on the bar

ed them shrink until they were just a smear of distant glitter. There were

age and pressed the pencil to the paper. I drew the same jagged line again, then another, and another, fast

*

n his ear. He scoffed. Childish, just as he thought. A moment l

ever worthy of you. I wish you and Seraphin

g message, but it soothed his irritation. He turned t

creen. "Perfectly manageable. I w

sympathetic smile. "You're t

screenshot of the message and

te. The liability