Marcus wit

ttentive

in the morning, just

ing stories about her day, her career as

if she felt a chill, fluffe

gs, domestic things,

me this kind of pat

grand gestures,

as the quiet intima

he wanted, the wom

ys been temporar

ettled in my bone

my toiletries when I hea

tor

of the room, holding my

eaped into

I demanded, my voice s

s possession. It held memories

as s

w, cat-like smile spre

ring this.

ly manicured fing

y important t

ht, but her eyes

to keep my voice stead

sed. "But I'm rather

ghtly from one h

ath hi

you want,

ice dropping to a venomous whisper. "You were nothing.

the camer

lice. "Kneel and beg me to give it back. Apologize

hed over me, ho

a... my fathe

d, my voice trembling. "I'm leaving.

ghed, a hars

n someone tries to take what's mine. I want

the camera p

ous heirloom of yours

eat was

or my fath

d, blurring

I sank to my knees

physical weigh

hoked out. "G

me, her face a

actly where s

ated.

rl," she

cious movement, she did

thre

ing, before crashing against th

ack echoed in

g forward, desperate to ret

and brushed again

l, a clumsy, des

seized the

umbling dramatically down the short flight of three carpeted st

ormance worth

o the room, his

heard the scr

ttom of the steps, clutching her ankle, feigning agony.

She was furious I found her sneaking around, trying to steal things! She pushed me down the

delivered with practiced

uestions. He didn't even look at the br

s precious Victoria

e exp

e snake!" he roared, his

ed towa

s, no! She's lying! She bro

ere lost i

y arm, his g

of your games,

the room, his finge

h the silent, opulent mansion, to th

he key, his hands

ide, into the co

til you learn some r

hut. The heavy bol

ith the broken pieces of my past and

cellar wa

ne floor, the cold s

attered unc

red remnants of my fa

cracked, the

heart. Just

craw

broken only by my own ragged breaths

mingled with e

taunts, Marcus's blind rag

sidered my side. H

ruth. I was a lie,

elirium was

he hunger,

ntle smile as he showed me how

our memories, Amy

mories felt t

ears freezing on my cheeks. "I'm so sorry I got invol

r and profoun