air. Her chest tightened,

atched, his small face p

en, her vision blurring.

he choked out. "N

rabbed her phone. His tiny fi

he call butt

he! She looks really bad!

bly just having a panic attack, Leo. Give her the EpiPen.

s serious! She

bulance for her," Mark said,

d in a haze of pain, Mark called b

ance I called for you, I'm diverting it to her. She's closer, and

actured. Chloe

p!" He dropped the phone and bolted for the door,

red. A sic

heard a different kind

, si

agged gasp. Her spirit felt like i

Lying on the

here, working on her, then

soul: Leo, small and broke

all. Horror. Grief. Guilt

left of it, shattered

her own tragedy, as they

ult. His neglect. His

That

er chance. If sh

k Thompson into her lif

d make t

olute. A bitter,

vow of cold fury, "if there's a

es snapp

om floor. Her chest ache

. She touched her

e

up, her heart

s wide. "Mommy? You okay? Yo

him so tight he squeak

re probably bloodshot.

eet, the thud, the sh

ndar on the wall. Toda

't happ

terrifying, s

d with a fierce, pro

t let that f

he coffee table. A no

e Da

e picked it up, her fing

ad to

vish dinner. Mark,

a new, glittering r

sees my potential. So grateful for his support in launc

p on the post

ain. Ange

e" with Chloe while married to h

uld any man be so de

the lock. Mark wal

when he s

? You look like yo

me. A smudge of lipstick, not her shade, wa

. That was his favorite phrase. It gra

her voice tight.

almost died, because you were with Chloe, what wou

ing about? That's a crazy thin

in his eyes. The utter

t it. He would

avy cloak. The bittern

wasted

k," she said, the word