A'S

e-cold against my thighs, a sharp contras

house, a sweet, domestic melody that should have made me recoil in sh

ath coming in jagged, desperate hitches against the crook of my neck. He was a m

" he groaned, his voice barely a ghost of

ispered, my fingers winding int

reclaiming the pleasure I'd started in the living room, his body shielding

Bang

! Ope

ast the room tilted. It was Reign. His voice was thic

is eyes wide and filled with a sudden, paralyzing terror. We were trapped. If Jorda

saw your shoes by the stairs. O

from the bedroom where his son was standing. He looked back at

ling. I gripped the edge of the marble counter until my nails

apped, his voice getting louder. "I need the keys to the shed. Dad took m

attled. My heart hammered again

!" I shouted back

edge of a cliff. He quickly adjusted his clothes, his ha

n five minutes, Reign! Jus

weight against the bedroom door. The lock on the bedroom door wa

shower, his eyes plead

hroom and saw the steam-less shower or notice

me-he was leaning against the wall, trying to shrink into the shadows behind the door. I stepped ou

a few inches, blocking

o break my door down?" I hissed, putt

s narrowed, scanning my face, dropping to my swollen lips, flushed cheeks and the slightly dish

voice dropping to that dangerous, low register. He s

ng to lead him toward the desk and away from the bathroom

oom, his eyes fixed on the closed bathroom door. "Why is your ba

eign, seriously. Mom is downstairs, she's got a headac

n my wrist. "You're hiding something. You've b

stuff. Pads, tampons, things you don't want to

se. I grew up with you. I've seen everythi

my throat. I could practically feel Jordan on the other side of tha

both hands, forcing him to look at me. It was

spond, a new voice

lright up here?

top of the stairs, looking down the

his shoulder. "Nothing, Ruth. Just Emma being

he was going to brush his teeth, but he's been gone a while and he'

his eyes glinting with a sudden, sharp suspicion. He

slowly, his gaze burning into min

ld feel my mother's gaze, Reign's suspicion, a