l staff eventually escorted her back to the Terrell estate.

her shoulders and tied the belt with trembling fingers. Her throat w

wall sconces in the hallway stretched her shadow across the floor. Th

tried to keep her steps completely silent, but her dry t

, a low murmur of voices drifted from the slightly

learly heard her own name. A morbid curiosity seized her. Sh

narrow gap, she saw her adoptive mother, Clotilda, holding a g

attitude. The anxiety in her voice was completely different fr

and and told her that as long as Blaire got pregnant with the La

e chest. She slapped both hands over her mouth, de

nce the baby was born, they would stage an accident, drain Blai

e tool. The realization shattered her entire reality. A vio

ala last night. All the recent warmth and smiles from her adopt

ably. She stumbled backward, her heel catching on

ding noise. The voices inside the study stopped instantly. Clo

bird. She looked around wildly for a place to hide, bu

t split second of absolute panic, a strong arm shot out

backward into the unlit storage room next to the

, scanning the empty hallway. She muttered somethi

inst a rock hard chest. The overwhelming scent of cedarwood mixed with

brated against her ear. He asked her what

g through the high window illuminated her adoptive brother's face.

r fingernails into her palms. She used the sharp pain to ground h

vable. She lied, saying she had a nightmare, came

s hand shot out, his thumb and forefinger clamping around her jaw with a bruising, authoritative grip. He forced her head up, his e

et his stare, forcing her eyes to look wide,

ith a sharp flick of his wrist,

hin robe. His tone returned to its usual strict coldne

y around herself, the fabric still holding his body heat. She ke

r and leaned against the wood. She slid down to the

m sobbing out loud. The sheer terror in her eyes slow

ake money to run away, and she needed to buy a Plan B pill