clenched so tight a muscle ticked in his cheek. Arlene dug her heels into the soft ea

ped. He let go of her wrist so suddenly she stumble

et of his suit jacket. He pulled out a folded piece of paper. It

ng in the wind. He looked down a

said, his voice cutting through the ho

He read about how Parker Group executives had used insider information to lure Boyle Investments into a risky merger. How they had short

tterly devastating. He listed dates, am

s shivering violently, her teeth chattering so hard she thought they would crack.

he details were too specific. The numbers matched. The timeline was flawless. A sicke

bike and read her bedtime stories, really done those things? Was

over her. The edges of her vision blurred. The pain in her lower abdomen, which had been a

eady drone in the growing storm. He didn't notice her pa

rp and final. He tossed it onto the grave. It landed on the fresh f

e. Instead, he saw a ghost. Her face was the color of ash, he

ncern-crossed his face. It was gone

d. "Do you have an

iving thing, twisting and clawing. She needed to sit.

e whispered, the w

ook in her trembling form, her vacant eyes. He

," he said, tur

He shoved her into the back seat, the leather cold against

couldn't stop shivering. She curled into the corner, her knees drawn up to her chest, her arms wrap

e dark, his expression unreadable. He had expected tears. He had e

side him. It wasn't pity. It was a desire to push harder

" he said t

f the deserted road. Tall trees presse

, sealing the back seat into a soundproof cocoon. Th

is large frame filling the space. The back seat of the

He reached out, his fingers tracing the line of her jaw. The

f deeper into the door. Panic clawed at her throat.

er thigh. His thumb rubbed a slow

d, the word tearing fr

ing in waves now, each one stronger than the last. She could feel the

had to protect her chil