t of jasmine candles and fine wine, laughter echoing between the marble fireplace and glass decanters. Claire moved effortle

ming others while carefully hiding the tremble beneath her skin. A laugh here. A brush of t

r waist. She tugged at it more than once when she knew no-one was looking. Her brown hair was

engagement. A step forward in a coup

ring pulling taut

ic's

composed, dark hair slicked back,

moved. Jus

tch. It was half full, always half full. He hate

one of the guests had said, and ac

m the speaker system, the way the lights from the chandelier danced on the floor like broken

hed, though she had done it politely, nothing more, she felt it again. T

His presence always took up more space than h

his voice cut clean

lling it

and fell into awkward farewells. No

e. She apologised on Alaric's behalf with a well-practiced smile, brushing it off as an early morning mee

soft click. And then, h

ink abandoned, his arms crossed

f a little too much," he s

confused. "I...

st to strike. She backed up instinctively until the hallway table press

ert?" His voice was like ice. "Giggl

n't... Alaric, I was just

she tasted blood instantly. She staggered back, disoriente

oice rising. "You were practica

steady herself. "Please," she said

ach, and she doubled

he barked. "Don't you

e it came to her ribs caus

r body stung where his knuckles had made contact, and the sharp, metallic tang of blood filled her mouth. For a moment, she tried to convince herself this wasn'

ound you fiddling with that bloody camera. Playing artist. Thinking you were someon

t move. If she stayed small

ntu

the same place he had left her, trying to breathe through the pain. Her body ached in a dozen places.

at follows violence. The kind that makes the

p of blood felt like a betrayal. Like evidence of a love she once believed in. She used to tell herself he only lost contr

no excus

through the windows like it had the a

places to count. Every movement sent a jolt thr

she started cleaning up t

ing to focus on. Something to keep her from crumbling. She washed the dishes s

told herself, the words

smiled. He loves you. He wouldn't have done it if you hadn't prov

s that she didn't hear the front do

warm and soft. He kissed her cheek, right where

ing had happened. Like he hadn't be

her evident fear he held out a bouquet of white

these up

They're lovely," she murmured, but as she re

o thank me?" He aske

ked. "Th

was t

r face as last night, sending her crashing to the flo

k at her with disdain. "Look at the state of you. You've let yourself go, Claire. No man wants a woman who can't take pride in

ushed, their sweet scent suddenly nauseating. But when she finally stood a

bruised, skin mottled, eyes h

at the local park, chasing the perfect photo. This wasn't the woman who made stranger

something insi

ie

ike a cord break

, just what she needed. Clothes. Passport. The scarf her mother

front of his safe, opened it, and took the cash from inside. Thick wads of money. Enough to

s and n

into the sink full of dishwater. It hisse

once called home. The walls felt like they were watching her. Waiting for her to come to her

yes. She didn't elaborate, and he didn't ask again. He had to have known what had happen

the stolen cash and walked t

ilable flight please

dn't even blink. "Atlanta. L

, I'll t

ic could use his connections to find her if she left

ing as clouds swallowed the sky. Somewhere down below was the life she was

diff

ing in. Claire stood at the edge of the arrivals hall with her su

he bought a cheap second-hand car, paying in cash, and keeping her head down. She kept her vo

le. But it was too late to turn back now. Alaric would know she was missing, he'd know she had been into his s

decide her next move. She let her finger fall. And when she o

nt

as she whispered, "Alri

heel of the rental car tighter as her eyes scanned the map she'd folded on the passenger seat. For hours, she'd driven through the vas

e was thick out here. There were no sirens. No bustle of city traffic. Just the hum of the

r the first time in years, that di

le stain on her cheek had begun to turn green and yellow at the edges. Makeup barely concealed it. She