Daniel

al for him as it was a dagger to my heart. He looked at me, his eyes filled with

strides, planting himself between us, his body a solid, unmovable wall. He hadn't said a word, just stared the guy down unti

d. They were criminals. And she... she was just as cruel. She pretended to sponsor your sc

ed insult landed

ysterically. "She shouldn't be anywhere near you. And she le

mpt. He looked from Addison' s tear-streaked face to m

ie," he said, his voice

cene. The crowd, their verdict delivered by the hero of the hour,

he world a silent, echoing cavern around me. An icy chill seepe

hispered, her tiny body wrac

"It's not your fault. Mommy knows you didn

k eyes-his eyes-swimming with tea

I had to crush. My heart fractured. I couldn't speak, coul

he said, her voice small and resigne

tal bed, I went to see my doctor. The news was grim. The leukemia was

s said, his face kind but his words blunt.

sum of my life savings, scraped together from years of odd jobs, waitressing,

e hand and Guadalupe's settlement demand in the other. My lif

rred to a stop beside me. The window slid

id, not a reque

py. The car smelled of expensive leather and Addison's cloying floral perfume. A small, silver-framed photo of th

ollege car, and him, finding it and tossing it into the glove box with a laug

n said, his eyes on the road. "The scare to

n apology for what? For

stated, his voice flat and cold. "For your fathe

ce. My mother, who died of a broken heart. They were gone. And he wanted

rough the mud by people like her family. And while Addison was being 'sensitive' in her mansion, I was pregnant, alone, ha

e car was thick e

king. "For what I did to you, I will be sorry for th

to the side of the deserted road. He turne

ant to talk about what you're owed? You have nothing. If I tak

r was gone; this was the wounded man, lash

r if you're even fit to be a mother. So tell me, Ellie. Who is Kenzie's father? Or

w. A wave of dizziness washed over me, and the metallic taste of blood filled

the words tearing me apart. "You don't get to ask about her.