The Prank That Broke Her

n the storm raging inside me. "Of course, Alaina.

of guilt for worrying him, but the despe

hone screen flickered and die

Cooper was a blur. My body moved on autopilot, c

I pushed the door open, a sliver of irrational hope flickering in m

hosts of our shared life. The scent of his cologne lingered in the ai

all at once. Every muscle in my body ached. I curle

egan to fall, silent and hot, so

crude words had sent a familiar terror through me. In that moment, I had wished for Cooper.

aimed me, a blac

arp, stinging

ht was on, blindingly bright. I squint

e, a pair of tweezers in her han

?" I gasped, trying

e of pure innocence. "I'm helpin

ravel pinched in the tips. "You must have sc

ape. And what she was doing... it wasn't cleaning. It was clumsy, almo

y voice sharp. "G

ible. The sight of her, so close, touching me, made my skin crawl. All I

t way. I was just trying to help. Cooper

ned, and Cooper walked in. He

" he asked, his voi

his arm around her, c

he other end of the sofa. He noted my

one of feigned concern. "A

tstretched. "Let me see. Does i

for, now made my stomach turn. I flinched away from his

, my voice flat and cold. "It just

. "Kenya was just trying to help,

girl who orchestrated my assault. The th

I just stared at the

piece of gravel from my own wound with my fingers. Fresh

ked toward my bedr

whine from behind m

was a low murmur. "She's j

droom door and

gone, replaced by Kenya's designer clot

staying with us for a while, so I gave her your

ere talking about the weather. He

d him, a triumphan

ina?" she asked, her voice d

faint, weak cry came fr

the sound. I saw a small, da

art s

e?" I wh

bed, was my golden retriever, Sunshine. He was covered in blood, his beautifu

as d

hovering over his broken body, afraid to

hoked out, tears streaming dow

ing from him. He managed a weak lick on my hand, his

hadow, my comfort, my only family after my parents died. He had licked away my

y stitched wounds, angry and inflamed, crisscrossin

ntense it buckled me

my gaze lan

voice a raw, broken

idn't even have the decency to look guilty. Sh

"I was practicing my surgical skills for vet