of Izzy's voice and burie

r, his gaze hardening

. As soon as I can

For a moment, a flicker of something –

replaced by her us

ou're overreacting. Leo needed

if it were a minor inconvenie

ke us homeless if I didn't let them drain me like a stuck pig! You wer

Lily trembli

s son. It was a necessary action. You made your choices long ago when you decided to marry m

, a new, chilling u

completely detached from the re

a transac

was not just dead; it was a source of bitter shame. He'd been a fool, a willing parti

m was a n

, devoid of the fire it held momen

prised, then he

turned and swept out of the room, her exp

breath. He kissed th

baby girl. W

regain some strength, he hear

se for Mr. Croft's son. Priva

im a pony last week. T

salt in his wounds. A pony.

terness. It didn't eve

eadier on his feet, Ethan scrape

was something she'd always wanted

dy, a bright red balloon

ingly forgotten, replaced by the p

happiness bloomed in Ethan's

" Lily said, her face sticky

oked down at her stuffed tiger.

words were

e said, hugging her. "A

, content

, near the primate e

ulian.

an pointing at a monkey,

py. She hadn't looked th

ily's. He tried to steer he

saw

faltered f

ards them. He co

aid, his voi

behind

, her voice a little str

Ethan said. "You haven't

able. Julian stepped

g me with Leo's recovery

zoo visitor with her chi

vely family ou

n eyeing Lily's bright red bal

balloon string,

popped with

out, startl

high-pitched, m

ven though it was just a

eact, Leo, emboldene

ds, her head hitting the concr