na

go to t

no room for argument. He needed me to attend th

said, his voice smooth and

I w

e it was "too bold." I put on heels

pagne towers, and a sea of fake smiles. Jackson had his hand on the small of my

," he murmured, han

sat nestled inside. Heavy, gau

ovely,"

" he comman

around my neck. It felt heavy

entrance. A child's voice pierced throu

y! Da

. A little boy, maybe three years

tic but perfectly dressed in

she didn't run fast enough to

gs. "Daddy! Mommy said you wer

he room was inst

ad suddenly caught fire. He looked down at the boy, the

adulterated pan

tight. He knelt down, instinctiv

ossip swelling around us. Is that his s

hysical blow, a punch to the gut. Hundreds of eyes were bori

y heel catching o

d at me, and her eyes weren't a

oud enough for everyone to hear. "

y, but her hand brushed against the dia

she

anked

necklace fell to the fl

up for Daddy,"

laiming ownership. Of the chil

linding, explod

uch it,"

e I wanted it, but because I wouldn't

ke, dramatic sound tha

didn't reach for

it! You're

me hard.

ell backward, crashing

oded. Chin

h my knee, and I felt warm blood trickling dow

amidst the broken glas

er me, holding Joey and shielding Candida w

ed. "Get her out of

riting the narrat

ms and hauled me up. I didn't

ut his arm around Candida and

ack over her shou

toward the exit. The whispers grew louder. She's cr

e floor where it had fallen. B

he hotel, something inside me snapped back into

wn at my bl

to the dark. "You owe me.