cted with my cheek. The slap was sharp, a whip-crack of sound that echoed in the dead

Liam' s voic

himself between me and Brenda. He grabbe

in," he snarled, his voice low and

ch. She just smiled, a c

rything you have, you have because of the V

othed down her dress, her composure unnervingly i

g his money on clothes while I suffered for years, wondering where my baby was. You think because

re, it was about her audacity, her cruelty. I remembered all the little things that had l

ring here, a bracelet there. I remembered her constant complaints about being underpaid, despite her generous salary. The final straw had been when I came home early one

nda," I said, my voice clear and cold. "You were l

contorted

ous little brat who' s afrai

ung man with a cocky, entitled smirk on his face. He had Brenda' s same sharp eyes. This was her

da declared, gesturing to the gr