shattering echoed throu

id-chew, as Ivan hurled

p?" he snapped, turning toward the chef,

he instructions

scraped loudl

feed my child, Mar

ologies, but Casey couldn't stay

take," she said gent

her, cold and sharp like

asked yo

ning to escape her mouth. He made her feel lik

ill...

in a cage. Her hand instinctively rested on

the baby. "Your dad's just a l

terrupted

e, it wa

r, sharp-eyed, wearing a pantsuit mo

Casey," the woman said,

Casey asked, he

s personal lawyer.

inked. "

m here to make sure you understand what you signed. Every clause.

rized my

r contract,

chilled Casey more

because your uterus is useful

d, Sienna left, her perfu

r and leaned against

ad she walked

ek p

nts, or threats. But one night, as she walked through the co

Shirt undone, cigarette b

looked.

turned arou

-he said

in

stop

"Do you think monsters

they call themselves 'men

d. Bitter

cautious but curiou

uly looked, for the

lk to t

paused. "H

has c

rse it

's listening," she said,

ix, my father made me watch him shoot a traitor. Said

at kind of silence m

ke him. But here I am-trapping a woman in a contra

the silenc

said finally. "You're already wo

en-not angry, not c

did the stra

polo

y," Ivan

x anything. But the

anger. May

aybe

Casey met a new

n with an apron and

d in Italian-accented English. "I'm Mirella,

first time in days. "

to 'babysit the babysitter.' I said I'd cook better than tha

of Casey unexpected

inning to think you were one of those hau

giggle

would hurt a

the nursery being painted

he said. "I'll give yo

eyebrow. "Wow.

t pus

round, hand

ose the

mind. Maybe it

"You're ge

him. "Or maybe I'm just tired

Then he did somethi

gently-and touc

imate. Soft. So soft it d

n't become me,"

spered, "

econd... she almo