Dougl

ile smell of antiseptic. A hospital. Again. My hand was swathe

h, thank heaven

ho had ever shown me consistent kindness, rushed to my bedside. Her eyes, u

roat dry. "The doctor said

. "They said if I had been five minutes later calling t

see the bite mark, to call a doctor. But they wouldn't listen. They were all crowded around Miss Halei

lled me a hysterical old woman. Mr. Kane told me

The forgot

ayed up all night, changing his cold compresses. When Mr. Blake broke his leg skiing, you were the one who drove him to physical therapy three times a week because h

each one piercing the numb sh

is social calendar, you even learned to make his favorite soup that only his mother knew th

path down my temple and into my hair. The pain in

f the island a distant, cool balm on my burning so

n balloons and streamers. The sound of jubilant celebration hit me like a physical blow. They we

f lavish gifts. A diamond necklace from Jameson. A vintage sports car from Derr

e doorway, the laughter died. T

g with sarcasm. "Decided to grace us with your prese

rd. "They said it was a minor spider bite. You were clea

bad habit for you, Ba

ey, please," he said softly, as if speaking to a difficult child. "Haleigh feels terrible about what happened. Sh

we had built, was erased by that single, legal document he' d so eagerly sign

ould feel the blood draining from my face, but I forced my lips

said, my voice eerily sweet

of unease in his eyes. He hadn'

her hands. "Oh, it's time!

leigh's childhood photos. Instead, the screen was filled with a high-definition image of Haleigh, five years younge

h one more scandalous than the last. The air

ters, a caption appeared: HAPPY BI

exploded

ick bellowed, his f

cord, yanking it from the w

e collar. "If one word of this gets

of theatrical horror. Then, her eyes found mine acr

king with practiced anguish. "How co

and she collapsed in a heap on the floor, fa

voice laced with panic. "

upstairs, his eyes locked with mine. The look in them was no l

he snarled, his voice a