igner clothes, the expensive jewelry, the life Cohen had built around me-it was all meaningless now. The penthouse itself, once a symbol of our

s lawyer, finalizing the details of my transfer to Case B

was Cohen, his face etched with a frantic ene

e you doing?" he asked

eaving,

ice dangerously low. He stepped forward, grabbi

out," I said, yanking my bag

past him, but he

ess," he said, his tone condescending. "I told

my voice flat. "Some things, onc

er trying to cage a bird that was already flying away. The arguments, the tears, the cycle of hi

rced the air from outs

Kiera' s voice, h

could see the street below. A black sedan was careening down the road, sw

n was instantane

ate. He didn' t

ng out the door and shou

he car' s path in a heroic display of affection. They

force of his departure sent me stumbling f

he car, having missed its firs

black metal and b

explosion

or with a sickening crack. The world splintered into a kaleidoscope of pai

my ears, I could hear

are you okay?

imming. My arm was bent at an unnatural

ispered. My voice

ver her as if she were made of glass, his face a mask of pure terror

, lying broken and bleed

I lost consciousness was Cohen lifting Kiera into his arms, his face buried

here on the

room greeted me. A dull, throbbing pain radiated from my

hair by my bed. He looked tired

said, a faint note o

ke my hand, bu

en arm. You' re lucky. It could have been much wors

my mind a cold, clear

tern. The wine cellar. The ruined dress. Now this. Each time, he chose her

I asked, my voic

re the most reasonable thing in the world. "She was in shock. I

seemed truly unnerved by my silence. He was used to my tears, my

ough the silence. He glanced at the

take this. It' s Kiera.

, turning his back to me, but I could

cry. I' m here... I know, it was scary... Of c

a flicker of apology in his eyes

gaze fixed on th

ing a fight, an argu

ndoning me once again, a singl

A problem to be managed later. But Ki