?" Megan's voice crack

disbelief. She didn't wait for Jude to respond. Her

back against the wall so hard the framed photo of their weddi

s eyes, glassy with guil

"Seraphina isn't our

d back like sh

r for nine months! I went through labor for twelve godda

idn't

e. She let out a strangled cry and slapped him-h

taken by the devil himself to say this?! When she's probabl

ding his cheek. "Let me explain. I

out of me or not. I raised her. I held her through her nightmares. I kissed

barefoot, her tears so

llway, shoulders sagging u

d to his face, b

keep her safe

's Ma

sat still

IV had torn loose was nothing com

s, his twisted logic - and worse, the crypt

of its presence - sleek, mounted into the wa

r parents' apartment. Again. This time, the men surrounding the

ina sc

lding her bleeding hand. "Dante, you fucking bastard

psed to h

. Then, with trembling fists, she swore silently to herself, "I will escape a

nterrupted when the mas

d - trailed

The other had jet-black hair in a sharp bob and the kind of dead eyes

annoyed. His eyes flicked to Seraphina's cowering form. He took

hen the live footage changed. The men

g glass. She shrieked, craw

ped against the marble floor. She pounded t

STOP!" she screa

leather couch a

oth

te, his eyes glo

aid lazily, "ha

body moved

ng, broken, breathless - he

followed by a sharp blast. Her father'

hina

I'll do anything. Please. You alrea

atching it curl like a

?" he ask

sped in front of her, trembling

r woman," sh

ps curled

re i

the blonde wo

eo

. From inside, she pulled out a sleek black colla

a's hear

t's that?" s

ard her. Each step echoed

id, "is your

for her to

but her parents' scr

he m

craw

er k

still be

ning a hand through her hair, "they'll stay a

rned, but she

d slowly wrapped the c

gh

ai

cked i

llow

g her hair away from her face.

dn't r

her eyes, but he

ed her hea

a goo

a didn't

ted to

whispere