a P

mbrace of the New York night. The wind cut straight through my thin blouse, a stark r

ing around me, a chaotic symphony of sirens, horns, and dis

They deserved better than this. They deserv

nto the search bar. Several options appeared, but one name stood out: Greenwood Gardens. It wasn't excl

notoriousl

naire, I had never been given a credit card, never had a joint account. Vance called it "keeping things simple." I

lips. This was what my gil

r. My parents' hono

chunk of my remaining balance. "Greenwood Garde

coming call. Vance. I silenced it, letting it vibrate itse

e doing? If you took those ashes out o

lack of remorse. He wa

shared history, turned to cold ash. My thumb mov

ed to the empty back se

he memorial park. The place was vast and silent, a city of

est. A kind-faced woman behind the desk confirmed my fears. The

ound," I said. "To see

sympathetic

hat looked like small palaces and angels weeping stone

ooking a small pond and sat do

acking. "I'll find a way. I promise.

ifferent kind of notificat

clined due to insufficient funds. You

hit me. I had no money. I couldn't even aff

ering breath, fighting back the panic. I could call Jena. She would come in

rgency fund from a lifetime ago. Acce

adlights cut through the gloom. A car, impossibly sleek and

olls-Royc

A sharp jawline, a straight nose, dark hair. He was just a silhouette,

at the scenery. He

of the woman in a thin blouse, shivering on a ben

made the wolf beneath my ribs lift its head and go utterly, breathlessly still.On the night air

ph

e.Every instinct I owned whispered th

and held, and I felt the pull of it in my spine,

asted only a

inaudible word to his d

llights disappearing into the darkness, leaving me alone once more. Bu