ia

ring bracelet on my left wrist, workin

e, tied by Leo's mother when we were

hand out over the chasm of the city streets bel

ay into the wind until

heels on the hardwoo

kitchen, a smug smile pl

hat clung to the velvet ropes of illicit club

her with p

rned, my voice

raight to the

I had personally purchased for family dinne

le counter, a study in casu

eyes gleaming with malice. "You can't even pro

on the floor as I took

king in the plastic surgery

my tone flat and devoid of heat. "There isn't a low-level s

nstantly vanishe

deepest, most g

uldn't secure her position through charm, she would do it through destruction. A scarred, d

lectric kettle from the stove, which ha

ream, she hurled the scaldi

p instinctively t

ire splashed acros

ing heat seemed to f

m, clutching my burning arm as the skin

ped it to the floor with a metallic clang a

down the hall, and Leo rushed into t

a trembling

her face. "She's trying to mutilate herself fo

pooled on the floor, and

n massive ego and his desperate nee

ous lie without a singl

el of utter, chilling disg

ed to the medicine cabinet on the wall

ut a large bottle of

hed ove

n the wound!" she cri

onally spilled the entire bottle

pure, white-hot ag

knees buckled, and a ragg

good hand, desperate to get t

d and theatrically col

ly around her, holding her as i

me, his face

spat, his voice echoing in the kitch

ord in my defense; ther

he cold water, and silently held my ag

y the alcohol, feeling absol

n look in my d

was suddenly faking a severe bout of mo

s, coddling his mistress as he

d, I turned off the faucet and wrapped

Family loyalty had just b

and changed into a pair of tailored dark trousers and a trench coat

lute calmness settled over me. I was finally ready to

y who to call to