N'S M

ng under his breath as he scooped anot

a glow over the table piled high wi

f he hadn't just sold his daughte

hout knocking, her s

lazily. His

Leonardo spat, his v

curled into

," she shot back,

ere and stuff your greedy mout

across her chest,

e by the time I start with you, even y

slammed his cutlery onto th

our father," he growled,

sweetly, her eyes gl

t the almighty st

ling like a live wire. They looked so alike,same shar

ave an ounce of

o the table, her voice d

e said, each word

d,a single strand and if you so much as breathe wrong in

his mouth, but n

her head, her

tail, Leonardo Wil

ould do was stare at h

was fierce, but this..

urned on her heel and walked out, her

hind her so hard th

for a beat, his face

l in her place," he mu

a sliver of unease worme

d if maybe,just maybe if he could stop

__

ening around the handle. She had a packag

it was hers. Her independence. She'd rather hustle every

ight air slap against her cheeks

'S MA

ver him. He was starving-no, worse. He felt like if he didn't ea

't even bother with a glass,he grabbed a jug and drank str

the door, his hand alrea

orbell

en a second befor

t smell of her perfume,her hair fluttered a

,time stopped and

of them moved. Neith

ow fast his hun

" Tamara said,

ngers brushing hers, and signed th

k right away. He just,loo

't drop her gaze. S

asked, his voice sof

d her head,

n any positio

ned on

f yours?" Zion said, his tone edg

stop

back to face him,

to mind your business?" Tam

didn't say another word,he stepped

t beating too fast, her

r bike, telling herself to breathe, to s

how much you bury the pas

s aren't strong enough to remain unbrea

et on her wrist. Her fingers traced i

ies came back,unin

BACK S

was supposed to be theirs. The day

" Tamara started,

that question." Zi

ve me your att

ow you're the one lacking in this

never even bothered to reply. Have you ever

, his lips press

tried to understand how

tter laugh, her eye

you chose to ignore me. Do you even love me? B

ve," Zion said, his v

I decided to show

he said, her tear

e. Was it so hard to forgive me?

e."His voice broke, and for a second she sa

ent you decided to give ou

ispered, her

say? What about everything we shared? Everythi

enty, Mara." Hi

ust...mess

the sob rising

aid, each word shatteri

ed down, a single tear

ch other. And I don't

shit anymore," Zi

ed her tears with the b

HBACK

the burn behind her eyelids to fade. Sh

when she hadn't even b

he had already giv

ripping her bike's handlebar

ered to herself, he

oc

glance, she started the