he only sound the aggressive rip of pa

ry my grandmother left me. The rest-the furs, the diamonds Dante had drape

ck was an acoustic violation, a sou

n, holding a b

e browning at the edges, curling i

ffering them like a last-minute t

ses meant it's over. The irony seem

them in water. I laid them on the marble counte

t over a chair. "God, what a day. The

he moved, the air shifted. The scent struck

nd cheap

irt. A smudge of bright pink lipstick, a smear of bet

mistake; it was a declaration of my worthlessness. He either thought I was

aid, my voice dangerous

overing the mark. "Oh. That. Just a... spill. I

," I said. "

by my calm. "Elena, w

it. A wife's

that used to make the bones in my knees fe

handed it to me. The fabric

d the tap until the water hissed, stea

f rough soap and

ed the p

ru

ng had firebombed my car. Dante had pulled me out, his hands burned and bleedin

ru

d, Elena. You and m

ru

hing, Elena. J

ru

in a blotchy, angry red, but I couldn't feel the burn. I only felt the h

the doorway, hesitant. "Honey,

neling every ounce of my betrayal int

way with a lou

top

d, the threads hanging loose like unraveled l

come out without destroyi

om behind, resting his chin on my shoulder. "Hey. I

eating against my back. It was a steady rhythm. How could a he

softly. "Are you

lways. You know that. Since the

Do they ma

s my bloo

i

my eyes. Not tears of sadness. Tears for the memory of the boy

e my oaths very seriously. Esp

of confusion crossing

ay me, I mar

ating in his chest. "You have a vivid imaginati

ing him away gently. "You

walked away, whistling a

ounding. It was a reminder that I was still a corpo

keep m

per was