rcloud. He snatched the U

ver, was not di

rected at

"What do you think you' re doing, going th

mall cry of pai

low. I shot up from the couch and moved betwee

g the truth!" I scooped Leo up and held

oe is our guest. She' s an important contact. She was probably just look

the evidence, even with her obvi

cry. Not real tears, but the theatrical,

s. "I was so proud of Ava... I was going to show it to some investor f

bly, not knowing who to believe. Bu

loe and put a comfor

ver her shoulder. "I think maybe you and Leo should go to his ro

ing me out, lumping me in with my "disrupti

' ll leave. But Liam, if we go into that room, som

t even

id, his voice

r and the other guests back toward the living area, his voice a low,

of the party continued outside, a party that was supposed to be

d into my shoulder, "

brave thing," I said, my voic

y relationship with Liam. He was hurt because of my inability to draw a line, to protect m

ightly, his big e

ddy isn' t supposed to be on the witc

"What real s

witch comes and tries to take everything from the scientist mommy. Bu

thing more? The way he said it was so matter-of-fact, so certain. It sent a strange chill down m

powers soon," he continued, ya

sleep began to take him. "I have to protect you an

ight of our fractured family on his tiny shoulders. He wa

hing. The party sounds eventually died down. I heard the front door op

The apartmen

ication from Instagram glowed on t

his arm around her, a real smile on his face. The caption read: "Sometimes

ed her. He had left wit

gony in my chest. This was it. This was the betraya

. The countdown timer was still there,

TO FULL ACTIVA

, his face so peaceful. I would protect him.

urs were up, I wouldn' t jus