il

cold, impersonal characters on the screen of my burner phone. M

ck, the words a jumble of fury an

il, I was the one who put him there. I am the

ands. I hunched over, a sob catching in my throat. "You monster," I whispered

maze your brother is trapped in. You can wander around in the dark, trying to find an

h-profile conviction he had so masterfully secured, no reputable lawyer would touch Dudley' s case

, so profound it left me dizzy. "What do yo

you to co

The word was a mockery. "I won' t fall for

"Go on. Make some calls. See how many of th

was right. He had built my

f pure animal pain. "Are you trying to drive me

t begging me is far more effective than begging anyone else. I know where you are

He had eyes and ears everywhere. My pathetic

d by a hollow, aching resignation. F

in my mouth. "Please, Hamilton," I typed, th

ld almost feel his satisfacti

ill pick you up for my mother' s gala. And April? Try to

king back at me was a stranger, her eyes wide and haunted, her face pale and drawn. I splashed cold water on my face and began

self. I will trust him o

ed a time when he would never let anyone else drive me, insisting on picking me up hi

ll was Hamilton. He stood with his arm possessively around Brittany' s waist, a proud smile on his face as he listened to her speak to a circle of hi

n," one of his partners was saying. "She

on said, his voice laced with pride. He squeez

eople might start to think there' s more th

iled, a silent confirmation that sen

tion of a second before he composed himself,

smooth performance of husbandly concern.

my voice flat. "Looks

skin. "Don' t be like that." He tried to lace hi

. He leaned in, his voice a low, menacing whisper in

in the car. Smile, nod, pretend. But seeing her, seeing them together, so com

o thick to breathe. I could feel the fam

ist from his grasp and turning on my heel, de

ard his friends talking, thei

Hamilton is a saint for

e should be grateful he didn' t just dump h

nd into the deserted hallway, leaning against the wall as my stomach ch

on. Just one pill to quie