room on the secon

e leaned against the si

on her arm

handle

a's voice came fr

eyes. She unl

inside. She lock

e raised her hand and sla

e a gunshot in th

ed to the side.

hissed. "Threatening

" Ivy said, her han

whisper-scream. "Until that ring is on your finger and those pa

ulled out

he screen an

feed from a room. A hospi

a bed, staring out the win

ruin. Claudia had "rescued" her from the foster system years ago, a supposed act of kindne

id casually. "The doctors say she needs..

ist. "Don't hurt her. Pl

ck," Claudia snapped.

y. She opened a small, lacquered drawer and pulled out a thin,

n ar

h twisted. N

n ar

the edge of the marble s

ed the back of

ike hit her s

ngue to keep f

d strike

ion. The reminder that she was a child. A stray dog

str

laudia said. She w

ed up th

ce. You have

dia

wrapped her arms around her

to burn the

ter on her face. She applied conce

ened t

standin

ju

ut a small

elps with the swe

red at

no

o

did he just

tube. It wa

u," she w

ed and wa

cap. It smelled

d it on her shoulder where

g, then

was patching her up so she

ted a

tube and put it

d down th