ngerously in Brenda's hands. She su

his skin were made of acid. Her

looks like!" Elsie stammered,

nket up over his waist, and leaned back against the broken headboard. H

t her fingers were spread wide open. A

ee a thing! I am just so happy you finall

nda's thick arm, her voice dropping to a desperate whisper.

st Elsie's shoulder to stare at Donat's chest.

a cheerful country tune, and backed out of the apartm

lid down to the floor. She buried her face in

, rumbling laugh echoed.

e floor and hurled it violently at t

the yellow school bus soun

ar-old Ethan ran in, his oversized

s nose twitchi

e kitchen, but the sound of movement

the half-op

fro

onat's jaw tightened, his entire posture stiffening with i

glass of water. She saw Ethan standin

rabbing Ethan's shoul

d. He looked up at Elsie, his voice lo

rain from her face. "W

ryone in the lobby that you have a really handsome

lly vomit. Brenda's "sealed l

musement vanished from his face,

rtment," Donat said, his voice cutting through Elsie's panic

g a wounded man is a target. A mother liv

y. "No. I am not bringing my so

you don't do this, the men who shot me will kick that

de, curious eyes. Her chest tightened painfully. She cl

she wh

d the corners of his mouth up into a sti

o the bed, reached out, and tapped the gl

tch," Et

o-hundred-thousand-dollar timepiece, and for the