e Camp

my heart had physically cracked open. It was a searing agon

e photo, my phone buzzed again

s a v

ly filmed in secret. It showed Dorian sitting on a sofa, my sofa

all voice piped up. "

ath hi

e cloyingly sweet. "You' re so nice and you buy me toys

wide, pleading eyes. "Ple

-camera, a fake, chiding tone.

out and ruffled the boy' s hair. "Don' t s

melting into one of tenderness, a look

me to be your dad?

dded enthu

," he said, his voice clear and fir

l of delight. A second later, a vo

a family. He wants a child. Something

in. The triumphant malice in her tone was

on my arm. She had come over the second I called her,

tell him. Tell him you' re pregnant. This is

had been holding for six weeks, a tiny flicker of hope I had planned

y, as a bargaining chip to win back a man who ha

tem that didn't care. I would not bring a child into a world of conflict an

my child, Jacs," I whispered, the words

ospital. I was there for my first prenatal appointment, my heart a conf

ffice, clutching the grainy ultrasound p

the nurses' station, and

saw me, and his eyes widened. He instinctively

ce hesitant. "What are you

the obstetrics department visible. His brow furr

cried out, clutching his stomach and doub

e looked from my pale f

he said, his voice strained. He bent

comfort another woman' s child over me. The scene was so grotesque

ice boomed through the hallway. She had been waiting

f fury. "You have no idea, do you? You

. "She' s pregnant, you idiot! Th

ed face, Cael reacted. The little boy, coached by his m

snarl that was terrifying on a child so young. "You'

. It happened so fast. Cael, with all the force his small b

t and absolute. My legs gave out, and I crumpled to th

thing, a vicious claw

rieked, kicking at my side.

elves. "Look at that woman, fighting with a little bo

face a mixture of shock and indecision. He was just... watching. Waiting fo

a wave of dizziness wash

ing warm and wet sp

my voice barely a whis

ouder this time. "Daddy, it hurt

ooked at me, lying bleeding on the fl

made hi

distant. "You need to get a grip. Look

to his arms, turni

over his shoulder, and then he walked away, leaving me there

-