secrets and sacrifice

caught in her throat. She stood quickly, moving t

lding, just like the life she had come to know. Marissa sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the cracked, chipped wallpaper peeling

g shirt. For a moment, she forgot who she was-forgot the past that kept

ways she couldn't explain. Once bright with ambition and youthful innocence, her eyes had become shadows of

was growing small, fragile, and completely dependent on her. The realization sh

I'm no

caped him, the man who had controlled her life for far too long, but now

ped her out of her thoughts. H

alking briskly, cars honking in frustration,

d away from the window. Her nerves were get

ys easy when you liv

It had been there for days, unopened. She didn't need to rea

ivered by hand, no return addres

where y

. She could still remember the cold, calculating look in his eyes when he first laid eyes on he

ssa had been just one of many women in his world, but she had become one of

e had ever stopped tre

, she i

a betrayal, too much like she was still under his thumb. Instead, she'd taken the documents. The va

from him, a

e from the table, slid it into her bag, and hurried toward the door. She needed to keep movi

over her shoulder reminded her of the child she was carrying-the ch

t him own

ened t

been living here. He was tall, with broad shoulders and dark hair that fell slightly over his f

, his voice gentle

h it didn't reach her eyes

and then back to her face. She could tell he was trying to read

ully. "Well, I'm heading out to grab some groceries. Though y

kly. "No, thanks. I've

a moment longer, concern lining his

Part of her wanted to go-to forget everything, to forget him

urned to leave. As he walked away, she couldn't help but feel a

t who she was. About the danger she was in. But th

leave, the door to the build

the world seemed to c

ing it behind her. The letter from Al still burned in her bag

t safe

the confines of his mansion. He had eyes everywhere. And even i

he couldn't keep running. She couldn't protec

choice di

city below oblivious to the life-and-deat

ake a decisi

ed, he woul

he l

go back to h

n her mind, she couldn't shake the c

sn't f