The Betrayal of a Dying Heart

aging river of snarling dogs. I swung the rebar, connecting with fles

oared in pain and slammed its head against the wall until it let go

osing. The pain was overwhelming, a constant, screaming fire that con

s, but into them. I grabbed the one on my leg by its throat and squeezed, my thumbs digging i

ratches. Blood was everywhere, slick on my hands, matting my h

circling me, their low growls a promise of the fi

Her face was pale, her eyes wide with a horrified shock that looked

er. "The dogs... I didn't think they'd...

her cruelty. What did she think starvin

I saw the woman I married, the one who would get wo

commanded, turning to

n a show for her, his face a mask of sorrow. He rus

r manipulator at work. "I didn't know he wou

y fault. Like my struggling fo

he horror. "They're just scratches, Jesse. He's b

she could hear, but I could guess the context. "Remember what he did to me, Jesse. He h

m. I saw the conflict in her eyes, a war between her twiste

. She comforted him, patting his arm. "You're right

y agreed to let this co

t this was a twisted game gone wrong evaporated. This was calculated. This was

see," she announced, her voice steady again, "Kai is refusing to cooper

. 'He's getting what he deserves.' 'So arrogant.'

oved justify my murder to a global audience. The pain fro

hard, and desperate plan. If I was going to die, I wouldn

in protest, I made a decisio