ffed bear tightly against her chest, the synthetic fur pressing into her collarbone. The house w

stood on her tiptoes, her small fingers wrapping around the cold metal. She

e only light came from a low-wattag

ghly complex mid-game scenario. His gray-blue eyes darted across the board, moving from the white knight to the black rook, calculating dozens of potential moves and counter-moves in his head. The silence of the room amplified the ticking of the grand

door let out a m

focus in his eyes was startling for a fraction of a second b

opping right next to his chair. She tilted her head back to look at him, her eyebrows

armpits and hoisted her up, depositing her squa

, his voice a low, soothing h

shoulders. She released her lip and let out a heavy breat

lbows on the armrests. "Because she pushed you," he said smoothl

she started, her voice hesitant but clear. "But you made her give up the

t the four-year-old girl. A strange, quiet sense of pride bloomed in hi

f his mahogany desk and pulled out a small, foil-wrapped square. It was an import

ded on her tongue, sending a shockwave through her senses. For two crucial seconds,

ds, Hartley figure

ntblanc pens. One was a deep red, the other a dark blue.

to a soft, simple whisper, taking on the

her throat. She blinked slowly, her eyelashes fluttering

light, letting the glow catch the glossy barrel. "Willow

it smoothly between his thumb and forefinger. "But Willow wa

f Finley. "She couldn't have both. She had to choose. I told her that to

y. She didn't understand the complex mechanics of human behavior, but she felt the absolute, uns

ossing the space between them, and placed his palm flat on top of her head. His fingers tan

do anything wrong. I just told her the rules for being our frien

n dispute like a warm blanket, completely sooth

st was replaced by a burning, fanatical heat. Her eyes widened, shini

er hands gripping the armrests. "Yo

smile. He tossed the pens back onto the desk

f the chair. He held her hand

ley murmured. "Yo

under the mattress so she was pinned in place. He leaned down and pressed his lips against the cen

licked into place, the soft brotherly facade vanished. He stood in the dark corridor, his