nna

now. Good. I wanted his ugl

n he had heard the

olatile grey of churning storm water. Mama's eyes looked like th

le frame eclipsing the sun and ca

is display?" he demanded, the

stack of trust documents, holdi

is," I stated. My voice didn't

ed me to step into the crossh

seemed to freeze, becoming a mask of cold st

were a piece of refuse to be s

ing like a whip, "and caused a contemptible

A monster in my face was still bett

my mother from a m

gathered Syndicate wives. They laughed like hye

rs at me, their whispers a venomou

crouched, bringing hi

one meant only for me and the nearest guar

minic, a fallen Soldier," he

blood oath to see

er eyes. He was so good at this. But I'd

amilla?" I asked, my voice rin

did not

months along,

nap shut on him, "considering Soldier Dominic was ki

e wives was cut off

ysical weight, a pressure on the e

ugly truth from my

imed the child was Dom

t bore the same distinct birt

a mask of shock taking hold. I did that. I

he understood he had walked int

cci hesitated, his stoi

confirming the timeline of Dominic

e snapped bac

fists. I thought he might hit me. I wanted him t

fictions?" he demanded, his voice strai

I did not feel, and answered, "My father, Car

between us like a live grenade. I watched his mind race, frantically cataloguing every document he had ever signed, every backroom deal, every drop