a laugh bubbling up, sharp and humorless. "

retorted, his voice

door, not fully latched, swung open a few inches as

ce a fragile thread. She tugged weakly at his sleeve. "Kar

ster" was so out of place, so cloyingly sw

ooked at Seraphina. He patted her hand reassur

onable than you are," he said,

atching the impenetrable bubble of intimacy that surrounde

f conversation from the hal

Whitaker is going t

t he's alre

with his lawyer in the break room. Said he's

ng in her soul, destroying her last shr

already sensitive pregnant body, was too muc

around, hand over her mouth, and bol

hing sounds echoed from

rily stunned by the ex

of triumph flashed

. Her breathing became shallow and quick. "Jules... am I... am I that ho

perfect, glistening pearls. "I'm sorry, it's all my faul

to her. He looked at her tear-streaked face, an

d his expression turned to stone. He b

ina in the most disgusting way

inst the counter until the nausea subsided. She wa

eyes, burning with a c

enough of a scene?" he hissed

ctimized" Seraphina in his arms. Suddenly, the

would only believe wh

ed. So incr

ollow and calm. "Let's just get this o