via

, my eyes fixed on the glowing s

side button until the screen went completely black, silencing the rattle against

den stool closer to my chair. "He cannot reach you her

the small room seemed to tilt slightly whenever I closed my eyes. Adrian quietly walked over and set a large ceram

as he placed a hand on my shoulder for a brief secon

rim of the mug as I took a tiny sip. The heat burned m

gray daylight of Maple Grove. Every time the old house groaned, or the wind blew a stray branch against the windowpane, I flinched, my shoulders jumpin

curtains, hitting the coffee table. I sat up, pulling a wool blanket up to my chin. Luca walked into the room ca

ty-two hours, Olivia," Luca said. His voice was ge

instead of meeting his gaze. "I do not want to disturb you guys. I sh

his jaw tightening slightly. "But you are doi

eyes wide. "Wh

lway. "I see how you pull those giant cardigans over your frame like you want to turn invisible. Damian told y

ruised cheekbone. I did not speak. The memory of Damian's s

lieve you are ugly and difficult to love just because your body doesn't fit into a tiny box. Your size does not make you

rubbed my sore ribs. "Every time I look down, I just

e a woman who survived a monster. I see a woman who graduated with honors and use

ving room. He did not take off his heavy wool coat. Instea

to the community clinic down the street. If we want to make sure Da

ed. "The clinic? W

promised, holding out my winter coat. "I al

A kind doctor named Dr. Evans gently pressed a stethoscope to my ribs and took clear, close-up photographs of the purple marks on my cheek and torso. Every flash of the camera made me wa

eed for the judge," Dr. E

ked at Luca. "Take her back to the house and keep the

open again. Adrian walked back into the living room, wearing his heavy wool coat. He carried a thick blue

in the armchair across from us. He laid the blue folder on the coffee ta

?" I asked, l

e signature line. "I talked to a clerk I know. We filed the paperwork using his text messages, the medical r

?" My heart gave a har

g into a firm, hard line. "If he comes within five hundred feet of you, or this house, or any place

ven years, Damian had been the law. He decided what was right and what was wrong. Seeing a piece of paper from

n," I said, my vo

d with a quiet smile. "Just u

ogether with a loud smack that made me jump. "Excellent. No

ns. "Luca, no. I cannot go out. People will

u are not going to hide in this house forever. Tonight, you deserve one night to simply feel alive befo

se out of the small closet. He unzipped it and began throwing

" I cried out, stand

tyling studio. He pulled out a deep emerald-green dress made of thick, structured fabric. It had a sharp

y hands shaking as I touched the soft fabr

is bold. It fits your curves perfectly, and it is beautiful. Put i

my plus-size figure without squeezing. I zipped it up and looked in the mirror. Luca came in behind me, using brushes and cream to carefully hide the y

ot look broken. She looked striking. The green fabric made my hazel eyes look b

d through the dark evening, reflecting off the wet pavement. He pulled the car up to the cu

d: The Blue

the heavy wooden front doors, mixing with the laugh

pair of comfortable but stylish low heels Luca had insisted on. I stood on the sidewalk, my fingers clutchin

whispered, my heels glued to the con

me forward just an inch. "You belong in there just as mu

d for one final second, my heart racing, then I took a