girl curled against her like a kitten

ter and a tube of ointment. "Here. Put this on your wr

r with a fiery temper, was

ntment. She carefully applied it to the brui

mall mouth blowing gentle puffs of

r," Cleo whispered, kissing her daughter's forehea

to check on the othe

r, Cleo's mind drif

ntract. He rarely came home, treating her as a convenient tool

home drunk. He had mistaken her for Isabelle. That night was the o

elf-loathing. He'd left a check on the nightstand as "c

e was pregnant. She knew the con

ke for her, would never acknowledge the child.

on to leave. Citing a desire to "study advanced embroidery technique

r out of his sight, ha

she had secretly given birth to t

ant him to play with me." Luna's v

tie. Let's let him slee

ince is out cold. So, what's your plan now? Are

r gaze resolute. "Today, at the hospital,

"That abusive son of a bitch! C

s no proof, and it would only blow up into a bigge

take it?" Chloe

settlement money I'm entitled to, and then take the kids and my mo

ork? Where w

us." Cleo's gaze drifted to the window. "I want L

dition, was in a quiet care facility in C

and. "Leave the property division and custody

boy, the spitting image of Luna but with a

Axel, and his expression was as

m like his sister, but first glancing at

hurt you

was und

hrough Cleo's che

ly on Cleo's other side, effectively bracketing his siste

the other so serious and precocious, Cleo felt a sur

earching for real estate in Seattle