ared down at his own trembling palm. His chest heaved. He could not process th

. She rubbed the red, finger-shaped welts forming on her thin bicep. She turned

ne of passengers waiting to board stared openly at Abbey. Their eyes darted betw

the freezing, rusted m

Porsche Panamera swerved violently into the loading zone, its tire

r flew open before th

frame perfectly. His leather oxfords clicked a frantic, urgent

rigid. The fingers resting on the bus handrail curled inward, gr

ery

ears ago. The man who had stood in a courtroom and calmly handed

slightly. His face was twisted into

ectly between Abbey and the open doors of t

kind of transport home," Jeffery breathed out. His voice was thick

The heavy, woody scent of Tom

sea crashed over her. Acid burned the back of her throat. She clamp

inst the concrete. The look she gave Jeffery made the de

m her pores. He maintained his sorrowful expression. He reached his

t tou

hed glass grinding against ston

racked against the back of Jeffery

us. Several passengers leaning out the windows gas

. His mask of deep concern slipped for a fraction of a second. His j

d you to plead guilty so I could get you a reduced sentence. I was trying to save you," Jeffery

ed. The memory of standing in the defendant's box, watching the man she loved

was a dry, hollow sound that held noth

ard, shaking off his earlier

Does Emmie know you drove all the way up h

e turned to Brecken, projecting the ima

d. She asked me to come make sure Abbey

pasm again. She bit down hard on her lower lip.

's stock portfolio. The other had sacrificed her to the wolves to win the heart of the family's gol

gainst the dashboard. The pneumat

of hot exhaust blasted directly into

chest. Her lungs burned. She pressed her hand over her mouth

p forward, raising his hand to rub co

is hovering hand as if it were a rotti

f. Glass

r against his neck when they were in love. N

ide. He had driven up here expecting to find a broken, wee

right leg across the gravel. She did not hesitate.

hoose her poison, she would take the hostile, enclosed space of her brother'