felt like it was stuffed with cotton. She j

e red soles of her Louboutin

leta, come on. We're going to be la

off. "Wait. I wa

personal space. The scent of expensive pe

he looked Ivana up and down, her gaze lingering on th

ht her suitcase. "Excu

e suitcase. It

an octave so the nurses at the station could hear. "You took m

vaguely at Iv

re shaking. "Please, Aleta.

e you abandoned to go live in Europe

around her. Aleta mo

na said, her voice gaini

t was a hard, sharp

ote bag slipped from her shoulder, spilling its contents. A toothbrush, a

the cheap toilet

're trash. You were trash four y

her things. She reach

epped on

hand back. A sharp pain

" Alet

rcing through the shame. "You have

leaned down and grabbed a handful o

crie

issed. "And you think you

free hand and

was like a

to the side. Her chee

e hallway. Even the

her lip. It

e elevat

ling of sneakers or the click of heels. T

She stepped back, her face transformi

ed up from

nding ten

on S

ctly. His dark hair was shorter than she remembered, the sides faded w

eyes that stopp

orm clouds, and they were

ion of the intimacy they had onc

. It was worse than the debt. It was a physical ache in th

hing his arm. "Thank god you're here. She... she tried

tant lie that Iva

her. He just kept staring at Ivana, who was still on her

the back of her hand. She slowly stood u

. His eyes narrowed slightly, a microscopic sh

s voice was deep, a rumble t

e truth. She wanted to tell him about the ND

, they would stop the payments that had kept Elena alive this lo

anything," Iva

loomed over her, sucking all

ie. He looked at the exhaus

ke hell, Iva

were fla

flin

ught you?" he asked. "A on