e devil. I don't know why my brother Gerald brought you back.

Aunt Miranda had insulted

ime she did it openly...

g the bedsheet tightly around my body, hoping to find

t.

ess, so their silence felt l

had in this worl

loor again, screamin

n the video! Someone edi

ysterical screams, pain and disappointment

flicker of hope

attered the s

he snapped. "Get

like her. She gave birth to a mo

even though it was the first time I had ever heard

een me and Papa Gerald, her voice steady,

that

just keeps gett

ver heard Mama Marcellia-or any

ared him-always o

relessly and

how hard we try. No matter

me with pure dis

rn out jus

ke

s, my voice barely holding together under

d in a mix of

ad ever heard anyone spea

y would they say su

ingers left a red mark

dripping down her forehea

And I won't let anyone speak to her that way-no o

hadn't seen tha

rald closed his eyes for a moment... then

~

never enough

rport, standing between Mama

t, cold even. But here and n

ust like Papa Gerald-that he did

he shoc

ward the plane in a deadly silence, he pulled

his heart wa

s st

Hayden's men cry-espec

s sobs, he

dn't protect you, sore

n cold blood or rip his throat out of his neck

ra

ural,

dn't accept my presence when

t years older than me b

ew he loved me li

ined leaving New York-let al

e before; armed guards had alw

e I was, hea

in... but have never set fo

ane window at New York City, watc

as a single hot, broken tear slid