straight to the master bedroom, to the walk-in closet larger than my old ap

ll, wooden ches

aky pipes. The faded t-shirt he' d had on the day he first kissed me.

man I had loved. T

touch against my skin. I carried them to the grand marble

and watched the

e and scorched wo

e cut through the silence. He came

nd. "Just clearing

rl. Clutter is unbecoming." He believed me, so easily. He saw me

his grip firm. "Com

t for her. She was there, dabbing at her eyes with a tis

sniffled. "She said my art was tra

," Hudson command

"I wasn't even

logi

ed, my silence a rebel

rang. A multi-million dollar deal was calling. He shot me a look

ished. She walked towards me, her eyes glinting.

e me, bought with a week's pay from a construction site. It h

you," I said,

urred, her eyes fixed on it. "I don't understand wha

who isn't a heartless

here, Aleen. You just

e mistress. In his twisted world, that meant I was property

ed, her nails scratching at my

ate chain snapped. The locket flew from my

She tripped over a stool, letting out a sharp cry a

of my past I had left, sent a wave of pure agony through me. I fell to my kne

n stormed back into the

! She attacked me! She broke her own necklac

aw her swollen ankle. He saw me kneeling

ecame a th

e seethed, his voice dangerousl

ered, my voice hoarse.

hauling me to my feet. "I am so tired of

dio, down a long hallway to

r place, Aleen. You ne

ace already filled with a suffocating heat. The heavy

o admit you were wrong," he said through t

palms stinging. "Hudson

ood there,

ole the air from my lungs. Sweat poured down

... ple

e other Hudson, the one who would hold me when I was cold, who would have been horrified b

o black at the edges.

o lose consciousness,

hed in, a sh

against the light. "Have you learned y

. I could only nod, a p

sorry,"

n crossed his face. "Goo

was hovering nervously nearby. "Get h