Eight Losses, One Last Hope

protection. The city lights blurred through my tears. I was lost, alone, and p

da

bsurdly out of place amidst the grime. He stared at me, his face

age, his usual fastidiousness gone. He reached for me, his hand

had systematically destroyed my life. The love I

isfied now, Aidan? Is this what you wanted?

c of my gown. I met his gaze, and for the first time, he saw it. The emptine

"What are you talking about? That vid

olling. He wouldn't have wanted our private moments exposed like that. "But you could have sto

to care about hi

stated it as a fact, not a question. "For

ened, but he

bitter laugh escaping my lips. "You won.

... confused. Lost. The triumph

whispered, hi

e to go. I can't leave the country without my passport and visa, and

e. It was a desperate, risky ga

strength, "but I know he is a good man. He loved your family. He took you in, Aidan. He

cker of doubt was gone, replaced

That's why he took me in. A pathet

fyingly low growl. "An eye for an eye. A child for a child. He took my famil

I had underestimated the depth of his hatred. This