ra Bry

past her, to reach Gabe, to scream for another n

hand towards her, trying to bridge the chasm of her sudden, irrational rage. "I can e

gain, a backhand this time, catching me across the mouth. My head reeled, stars explod

blood. My vision was blurry, but I could still see Gabe,

innocent victim with me. You think I don't know who you are? You think I don't

o comprehend her words through

in his older brother, were softened in Gabe. The same dark hair, the s

explain, to clarify this insane mi

bbed my hair, yanking my head back, forcing my eyes to meet hers. "That boy loo

ing me sprawling to the floor. My head hit the

ng with a possessive fire I'd never witnessed before. She

g in her eyes. "He doesn't look so good, does he?" she drawled,

de-eyed and terrified, at the periphery of the room. "Leave us," she commanded, her voice regai

glances but quickly dispersed, their footsteps fa

shed over me. I had to ge

shaky search. Cannon. I just needed to reac

hrobbed, my vision blurred. I could feel Gabe's weak gasps for

rs streaming down my face, mixing with the bl

adable. Then she smirked. "Oh, he is, isn'

voice thick with despair. "He's just

lling over me. "I'm the woman who's going to marry Cannon Bryan. A

melling faintly of coffee and mint. "And you know what

etween us, but my limbs felt heavy, unrespo

ttnie sneered, her eyes raking over Gabe's small, vulnerable body.

for medical conferences, or photos of him and Brittnie. He wasn' t the type to detail his entire family history in every post. A sharp, dreadful thought

you think! That brooch... Cannon gave it to me for my birthday. It's a family he

else-anger, then dawning comprehension. But it wasn't the kind of comprehension that b

ld me he was getting it restored for me. For my engagement ring! He showed me photos of it, talking about

e, a sharp sound in the sterile silence. She held it up, the emerald glinting under

my Cannon. And this... this little prop of yours..." She gestured towards Gabe with her