ie

ogany dining table, a ghost hau

a meal; it was

on his throne. Chloe sat to h

way, exiled n

through the haz

d. He didn't smile, but he leaned in, his posture possessive. He

ntimacy that made

reducing the meat to

. It was no longer just a thought;

rced down taste

ith the charade of saying goodnight. I just st

look up from h

ctuary of my room, I went s

nts had bought me years ago. It used to be the only light I

cked

rembling hand,

und the base and shoved it int

safer than

dboard box fro

time Marcus took me to the movies. A dried flower, bri

a one-side

ging heat beh

dare, I to

hoto album and

erched on Marcus's shoulders. He was younger then, so

ld burn the world dow

hit the plastic cover of

d the al

er the protector. I nee

d the box. Layer after layer of tape, bind

it next t

whispered i

un was an insult. Brigh

d to th

d garden, Marcus and

his arm, resting her

to her. Then he reached out and tucked

so gentle it m

to do th

She saw me standi

sn't friendly. It

wa

ed Chloe's head-dismissive, possess

from the window

ounded on

as M

Maria said, her eyes fixed on the floorboards. "S

rse sh

e old Ellie, the one trained

own in ten

atingly silent. I sat in the

bout flowers. About silk. About how Mar

Or maybe he just told me that bec

to the high-

ately. Diamonds the size of grapes

e," she bragged to the clerk, flashin

e heavy glass

wn reflection in the mirror, pree

rs down to a qui

ve the door

d, my voice steady despite the adren

omputer, the keys clacki

I have is

t w

day of the en

ake it,

given me. Not the one linked to the

welry store, my heart h

holding up

llie? Does this screa

let. It looked like h

erfect,

be

ath I didn't kn

we

ive seven more day

den deep in my pocket. It

the iron gates that looked more like prison

I felt wa

ing stillness in t