cles dancing in a ray o

and. My mouth was dry. My eyes were dry.My heels were in the doorway. And my red dress that had made me

the ceiling.M

t a d

terrifying men had whispered filthy things in my ear

entire body quiet

y throat felt dry and croaked like I'd smoked a pack

I s

k card on my

is

rf

y the chaos

full ten seconds be

d gold letters spelled out a name I didn'

er

ecutive

al | Private A

art s

hadn't bee

Levi saying something about being "gentle unless she wants it rough." I remembered Kai tra

rd with a quiet, del

onfusing "he'd said, voice warm like whiskey. "I'll get you h

eated seats ,tinted windows and zero small talk. Just

d yes to him

n't said

burned my skin .The reality

togeth

econd job today and i most

y neede

blast. The water was barely warm, but I didn't care. I stood there, letting it was

hair. My bod

I cle

he windows and let air back into the suffocating s

hone and did what I'd been avoiding s

led m

hird ring, voice tire

he couch, curling up like I

"You so

ed. Then I broke

Ivy

since I was old enough to understand what loss felt like. When M

d alway

ten minutes.Ab

uld last, how Ella was doing, and promised I'd come by soon. But the guilt ate at me when

said gently. "She asks

mber starting to cry. "I'm going to f

you will

and a hoodie, and marched out to the nearest discount

world wasn't so hard. I also stopped by the pharmacy to get some more insulin vials-Lord were th

it me like a wall. I needed a minute. Just a second to pre

led a blanket over my knees,

hasn't logged me o

That's al

ie to forget

Z. BZZZ.B

ching blindly

it, Jama

is name on the

wn Nu

o could

umb h

n I pic

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t voice.that

prin