ilar estate. The air was thick with the smell of wet cement and

backyard storage shed to retrieve her adoptive mother'

red Ferrari sped up the driveway, slamming on its brak

out. He wore a custom-tailored suit and designer su

watching the scene through the t

ned Harley's door like a chivalrous knight,

r path to the backyard. He looked her u

struction workers could hear. "You can put a Rust Belt rat in

ing, leaning on their shovel

with worry. She gently grabbed Dax's forearm. "Dax, please don't," she whi

ted a finger inches from Jessie's nose. "You stay the hell away

as a blank canvas. She looked at Dax the

uriated Dax. He felt his ego b

g into her personal space. He raised his ha

her weight. Her eyes, previously dull, s

ad looked death in the eye a thousand times. It was a look that promised violen

s lungs forgot how to pull in air. It was as if a massive

A violent tremor started in his

said. Her voice wasn't loud, but it

s face draining of all co

cking down from a country girl. She pinched the back of Da

he had just cowered in front of Harley and the cons

his arm back and swung a heavy, uncoo

ey's lips curved into a

rd. Her left hand shot up, her fingers wrappin

against him. As she twisted his arm down, she dr

eg buckled. His balan

ith cold, detached eyes as his body laun

massive, shallow mixing tub filled