g of antiseptic and the op

owers brightenin

ards lining t

beep of the cardiac monitor, count

cast, elevated on a sling. My shoul

button, my fingers

nt later. She looked exha

asked, my voice scrapi

ted away, av

down the hall," she said, smoothing the sheets unn

oc

chest, but I choked it down as

n bones. Sh

y were

n medicatio

new dose yet," she said apologeticall

urse

nsformed from a dull ache into a throbbi

e heavy doo

't the

as D

ing the small hospital room feel claustrophobic

," he said without prea

unable to process

continued, pacing to the foot o

hispered, the injustice bur

my elevated leg, his

al. Isabella is delicate. Her kid

pped a plastic takeout container onto

m the seafood place Isabella likes. She didn't want

he condensati

ri

lfish," I said, my gaz

line appearing

ou love it. She told me you're just bei

ic rising in my chest. "My thro

personal space. His hands gripped the m

r you ruined her evening. You will eat it.

nt aroma of garlic and shellfish

he or

-dark, demanding, and

f the man

s a m

expend energy I didn't have, I made a c

ok a

the slide of it like

oment, satisfied that hi

ightening his suit ja

his heel an

clicked shut, I dr

in my leg, I hopped on one f

fingers do

etely empty, until I was dry heaving

ently as I gripped

water on my face

et out. I was

llway and managed to collapse into it

to the hospi

n bubbled in the center, the wat

in, open-backed hospital gown,

look wh

d snap

wearing a luxurious silk robe, look

tered ov

she mused, trailing her manicured

who saved him," I said q

cold, sharp expression t

w," sh

close, her p

know about the vanilla candles you lit for

ched. She kne

d, her voice like venomous silk. "He doesn't wan

oward the glass do

t me, her eyes gl

uld be more car

teppe

she l

dn't p

njured arm and y

. The wheelchair

ast dragged me down, anchoring me to th

la scr

a piercing, bloodcurd

Dante!

ward into the shallow

shing as if she were drow

al doors b

the courtyard, his f

e on the

lla flailing

t ask qu

y what he exp

us sister attacking