scrape of forks against china and

e table, a piece of furnit

d I could feel the slow, warm seep of blood

t medical kit to Camill

cutting her

all pieces and

e murmured,

aze sliding past his s

, a smug smile pl

nicured hand, she

is beautifu

grandmot

, the band worn thin by the ha

the night we'd exchanged vows in

I said, my other hand cl

topped

ed at t

d at Camilla'

e best, baby,"

tood

r scraped the floor

ain lanced throug

the ring,

, scraped raw. "It's mine.

turning cold. "Everything in this house is

med ov

y fingers

bbed m

a manacle of

pried my fingers open one by o

ouldn't. I was too weak from blood

. I was weak fro

A cold wind seemed to blow straig

n remained where the ring

d back t

t onto he

hanging loose

ized tomorrow,"

too

back, a harsh sou

ing room witho

ight to the

avel bag from

t pack

the jewelry

ed my

d my pa

e photo of

reaked ope

a stoo

r finger, making the emera

doorframe, "you're just asking for trouble

ocket and pulled out a

d it onto

the safe. Thought

fold

r marriag

we'd signed t

o the blank space where the stat

thing. "He never sent it to the state, or the church. Y

wi

the one wi

rned a

the paper

dn't

n't s

ll click dee

k tumbling

ever a

er ha

dn't need his pe

as leav