na

, vibrating against the marble co

waived due to the 'extenuating circumstances

en, reading the word

ng

n air. It felt like the f

lower abdomen, a protect

I whispered into the em

leum of bad memories. The maids were in the west

e box. J

in through t

, his clothes rumpled and stale. He had spent the nig

e saw me standing by t

e," he rasped, his voic

you I'm goin

scrub away the night. The volatile aggression from la

ive you,

lled

the bite was gone from his tone.

ed to be the good husband for thirty mi

fight him. Not when I was

," I

ilent, heavy wi

efulness, keeping his eyes locked on the

e gone?" he asked wh

s it takes

falling back on the only language

nten

he muttered, testing the waters. "Fal

oba

his brow furrowe

hing left t

to the depart

park and got out

x. He frowned, confused

? For a wee

avel

shing past us, dragging rolling suitcases, hugg

n the morning light, out of

en you land

ka

cted a kiss. A hug

looked

him, but because I needed to remember the face of the man who al

f yourself,

onest thing I had

smirk that used to make my heart ra

, Elena. I'm

back in

ok back as h

sappear into the traffic, s

gone, the

pulled out my phone, and

ith a satisfying crack and dropped it into

ed up

the check-in co

charter terminal, where a plane was waiting to tak

't loo