Sour Hearts and Honey Scars

fe?" he growled, serpent t

ughly, and he made her stand up with much effort.

nd and became caught in the middle

know!" sh

stepped in front of him and smashed his ribs with the but

Nicole's throat. The cold steel pressed int

was scared, his hands shaky as he placed the

very tightly, "The study

of the leader's boot as he pulled Nicole upstairs. His

ng shelves crammed with Charles's first edition novels. She could

ne?" he

helf- "To Kill a Mockingbird, 1984," her father's name embossed in gold on

ut. Behind it, a smal

en

know th

pressing her fingers on th

unched in the numbers, 9-7-1-3. Her mother's bir

mond pendant into his duffle

m and glanced over her as s

d, his thumb grazed a

f Misty Copeland hung crookedly on the wall, and ballet trophies

ed. "Just take the j

h her jaw. Nicole squeezed backwards, but he

his feet, blood trickling from hi

. It is connected with Charles's t

grounded bird with a b

dropping to her knees. Berry quickly

riously, pressing her apron

h her. He cursed, jerking away. "You're on your period." He wiped h

prints on the Persian rug. Charles Lay was semi-consc

e cops..." He flicked open a switchblade, pressing it to Charles

red in the

out the robbe

." They slipped out the back door, a

d come apart. Sophie knelt by Charles, her ap

ilence, with the fridge humming quietl

floor. She looked out and saw the blue lights flicker

s lightly brushed Nicole's arm.

," Berry mu

lass, each piece mirroring the chaos around them. Charle

door, radio chatter crackling i

eing Charles in Sophie's lap, blo

uted as he sank to one knee beside them both, "Sir,

fingers

n an ambulance. It is in the

ested in a ceramic bowl. The older officer nodded, yelling to

shoulder. The cold air made her skin prickle as the office

he wheel. "Nicole,

d backed toward the stai

of the bowl. "I'll take her," she said to the offi

ing a bruise. She tore a turtleneck from the dresser and pulled it over her head, then

door. "They left withou

t St. Mary's Hospital, Sacramento. The nurses moved in

trauma, possible skull fra

rked one of the nurses as s

lapped against the linoleum until one of the r

ic doors sp

d waiting room, Charles's blood now dri

just out of sight, f

ry arrived, Nicole in a turtleneck tha

he?" Nic

he couldn't take her ey

PM, her face a mask of pra

so fast her c

We were relieved of some pressure, but..." She hesita