from a restless sleep. It was just after dawn, but

e was dressed in a tailored suit, looking like he' d j

towards the bed. "I called you all night.

Not him

as a stranger. The gentle, loving man I thought I knew had been

digging into my skin. "You were supposed to be at the fund

d never been rough with me before. Angry

ossed a line, letting go of m

fting to one of strained patience. "But Kiera is fragile ri

voice rising. "I did noth

en by my side, showing everyone that we are a

front of the entire world?" I laughed, a ho

ore he could retort, a soft, tea

ything okay? I h

silk robes, her face pale and her eyes re

e robe tighter. "I didn' t mean to cause trouble.

in an instant. He rushed to her

r fault," he murmured, stroking

us look at me ov

ve done," he m

make sure I understood my place. His words were a

on," he whispered to Kiera

rity guards who had appeared sile

ne cellar. She can stay there un

n cold. The

ing back against the headbo

out the cellar. Abo

, moved towards me. I fought, kicking a

I screamed, my

is arm wrapped protectively around Kiera, leading her dow

was his back disappea

avy, iron-wrought door of the wine cellar loomed in front of me. They sh

clicked, a sound of finality tha

ght, suffoca

d bird. The walls were closing in, the air thinning. I was a child

ulian, older and always resentful of my presence, decided it would be funny to loc

amed until my throat was raw, clawed at the door until my fingers bled. By th

ical, visceral terror-a tightening in my chest, a shortness of bre

ohen

levator. I had a full-blown panic attack. I' d sobbed in his arm

roked my hair, and

happen to you again. I will always p

ad locked the door. He wa

broken. The safe

make myself smaller as the darkness consumed me. The tears came, hot and silen

s all