A Vicious Love, A Deadly End

ntrast to the black hole that had opened in my chest. I

ace etched with pity.

t been for years. The constant pain was gone. But so was

t made no sound. I held her cold hand, the hand that had sketched countl

loor where I' d dropped

a scene. Hand

. As surely as if he had held the blade himself, h

to breathe. All the years of silent endurance, of thankless tasks

nd the marriage contract. I saw a flicker of vulnerability in him once, a loneliness that mirrored

fool I

arlee... Alexander believed she was special. He thought she was his savior, the one who pulled him from the w

led him from that fir

cremated. It was what she wanted. No fuss. I held the simple wooden

d of hope, the last reason

e. I found my lawyer' s number and drafted a divorc

nd. He was there, on the sofa. Karlee was curled up against him, fe

d, his expression on

ou want now

ittle smirk on her face. "Oh, A

ots by the door. "Karlee went ho

times I' d gotten sick, and he' d never once brought me a gla

ard stone in my gut. I

. I picked up the boots, my hands steady. I woul

back straight. I placed the signed divorce

divorce,

ck at me, a flicker of something

id, my voice shaking sli

lips. "Not so fast. You can have your divo

ice. "It' s about my birthday party tomo