e overgrown front yard, her hea

s wooden porch. The old floorboar

t and kicked the peeling screen door open. It

ving room, Ai

of iced lemonade. The sudden noise made her flinch, spilling

sister in Brenda's arms, her upper lip cu

sted a fractio

r eyes widened, her mouth fell open in a perfect O of s

rushed forward, her hands

er voice trembling with exaggerated so

theatrical tone. Her stomach tightened in disgust. The memories

Ainsley, her jaw

ing as she moved toward the hallway. "She's working in that sun

ping a non-existent

ely. "But things are so tight. We barely hav

rt. She ignored Ainsley and marched

wered her onto the single bed. The old mattress springs sh

anket from the foot of the bed a

Brenda warned, pointing a thick finger at Ainsley who was

er heel and stompe

The rumble of the pickup truc

n back just an inch, and watched like a hawk until Brenda's rusted truck completely disappeared around

y's face, melting away to reveal a co

bed and stood over Al

er breath. "Now I have to wash these dirty s

he soft flesh of Alissa's inner thigh, righ

hard, her manicured n

h of pain shot

amed to strike. To grab Ainsley's wrist, p

e. She didn't let her breathing hitch

nto her nervous system, using it to anch

ee agonizing seconds before le

of the bedroom. Her heels clicked sharply against the floorboards as she hea

until the cl

er eyes. The room w

ked down at her leg. A dark purple bruise

nter of the bruise. The sharp spike of pai

to assess

Ainsley was the public martyr, the saint who took car

The brother-in-law. The res

lingering touches in the hallway. The heavy, wet b

ists. She focused on the tension in h

guard for more than a minute right now. Attempting an a

o remain the victim until she had the ph

of men's dress shoes ec

ened. Kristopher

low. She closed her eyes, slowed her breathing to a s