ard'

fire under ice. I barely flinch, but my mother

with rage. "You sel

e's crying now, quiet, controlled, but I see it. Her hands cl

woman," she whispers. "A w

y jaw. Not

me guilt parade. I didn'

with fire. "You wouldn'

on my feet, suddenly restless. My heart's thumping

not going to beg Arabel to stay. I want the divor

re a

least I'll be

lf more clearly now than I ever have. I've lived three years pretending that kindnes

y softly, like a v

ck like I struck h

ause I married Arabel. Becaus

another woman becau

eed to. The truth hangs th

re at me that could carve stone. "Th

ms out, heels clicking like w

mixture of release and d

feel is

papers are still warm from her hands. Divorce documents. My name and A

arriage. It's the closing of a

nd me, taken on our second anniversary. We're smiling, or pr

he photo

honesty, i

ver felt fire. Not the way I did with Eve. Eve was chaos and clarity all at o

brok

rying someone else. I remember how she didn't scream. She

her PhD, and disappeared f

last

the

everything I bu

and this time, I

out. My driver greets me with a nod, but I wave him off. I want to

ne I bought for her five years ago just to keep her close. I tol

races. All I can think about i

engine, and jog to the entrance. The guard re

aline courses through me. I should fee

kn

ans

ain, loude

l no

n instinct and i

ra

empty, but her phone buzzes on the coffee tabl

ll out. My

espo

ed to take long naps when

allway is dim. Her perfume linge

e at h

d reac

mo

. Definitel

ree

uder this time.

me like a ba

a

ps from the

a

Laughter. Sh

n't

t br

r again.

o

no

Rage builds like pr

the doo

orld

ith sweat. Tangled in bed sheets. Her

with

h h

en her legs j

n he tu

inal

Daven

st fr

iness

t man at my we

one ins

one makin

o didn't stop w

oom s

ing it to her chest. But her eyes, God, her

stunned. Gu

A short,

voice flat. "I gue

mouth, but I

hisper. "Jus

s. I turn before