Case

that I hoped could wash away the filth of my past life. I lay on the table, the paper crinkling beneath me, and for the

d been so brutally murdered before my eyes... it would be a mercy to prevent tha

ash echoed from the hallway, followed by shouting. The do

nr

s looking past me, at the doctors, his eyes wild with a frantic ter

ctor by the collar. "Eliana Harrington! She was br

topped. El

finger toward the VIP suite down the hall. "She'

, shattering it into a spiderweb of cracks. "Trying isn't good enough! Get the best goddamn doctor

ctor toward the

my limbs feeling heavy, my vision blurring at the edges. Through the haze, I watched as the chief

They just le

en here, even now, Eliana came first. The world bent to her needs. Conrad

been replaced by this monster, this stranger who would let me lie h

the edge of my vision creeping in. As I drifted

ken a shiv to the ribs meant for him. He' d held me in his arms, his voice r

from my first life, the memory of him standing over me, his ey

because they had failed to stop me from going

by's cry, the leeri

So muc

ony so sharp, so blinding, it stole the air

sia wore off!" a nurse ye

de out. I could feel the cold, sharp instruments inside me. I

own! We're

pain was unbearable. It was a punishment, a penance. It was the ech

y, the world we

ng through the window, but I felt nothing but a hollow chi

voice low and laced with disgust. "He's been sitting

?" I asked, my

were c

oo

didn't you just tell him? Tell him you were pregna

cause he was worried about her. He would have just seen it as another one of my 'tricks.' Another attempt to get h

when you took that bullet for him? He sat by your bed for thr

I said, my voice flat

need you to do something for me. Get me a new passport. A new identity. Get m

d but understanding. "

"Burn everything. My files, my clothes, a

g to becom

mories that had turned to poison. In all that time, Conrad hadn't called. Not once. Not a single text. It was as if I had already ceased to exist. A part of m

rd creaked in the hallway. I froze. I was a ghost, bu

my crouch, something sharp and acrid was pressed over my mouth and nose. Chloroform. My muscles went sl

tself, only to be take

ete floor. My head throbbed, and a fresh wave of pain radiated from my lower abdomen. I pushed myself up, my body screaming

emptying the meager contents of

utside the thin metal

t?" he asked, hi

eplied. One of his lieutenants. "Are you

ntrums have consequences. This is a lesson in loyalty. When she's scared enough, I'll go in a

s wasn't a punishment for going after Eliana. This was a punishment

t me back together so I would be

he far wall, my heart hammering against my

, I forced my eyes open, tr

ely shifted from cold indifference to one of s

in his arms. "I'm so sorry, baby. I just found out. We got the ba

ainst my hair. It was all a lie. A sick, twisted

immed, playing my part. "Conrad,"

voice thick with fake emotion. "Let's go home

y room, I buried my face in his chest, my body shaking with silent

n I was learning w