down on my arm, his fin
low and threatening. "These are impor
. Frank Miller, a man known in the area for his money and his nasty reputation with wome
he said, not to me, but to my father.
my father boomed, sh
s grip was tight. I looked past his shoulder, searching for my mother. She was watching, her face a blank mask. She
as a coarse, ugly sound that filled the hall. They pointed, they jeered.
sical thing, a weight pressing down on me, stealing
ank Miller's grasp with a s
air," I mumbl
ned against the cold brick wall of the town hall, my body trembling. Th
creaked open. It was my father
snarled, grabbing my elbow. "You get back in t
said, my voice shaking but firm.
earing behind him. "Your father worked hard to pu
the window at the dark, empty streets, my mind racing. When we walke
y made on holidays, sat on the end table beside him. He didn't even look up when we came in. Kevin was lazy, entitled, and had a gambling problem jus
r cooed at him, completely ignoring me. "Do y
in grunted, his eyes
nished the second they saw him. I, the scholarship winner, was treated
eeling like a ghost in my own home. I neede
small. "We need to talk a
, his face cont
toward me, and I flinched. He didn't stop. He shoved me hard
atched, her arms crossed, her expression cold. The message was clear. I was