Shelto

, the crisp morning air doing little to cool the fire in my veins. The

dre and I had our first date. It was our spot. The owner

g me. "Andre was just in here yesterday, buying up all of my lemon

d built me a beautiful cage and lined it with silk and g

g?" Maria asked, her br

swer, a shadow fe

is is yours,

he was holding a chair, the one with the brass plaque that read: "Reserve

with false gratitude. "Andre has been so generous. He even paid for my new apa

stone in my gut. Andre had told me he'd given h

nvelope across the table. "I

r and Andre. In our bed. In his office. In the back of his car. They were graphic, intimate, and

them and slid them back into the envelope. I felt nothing. The part of me that could feel

yone. He says you're... cold. Like a beautiful statue. Easy to admire, but impossible to love." She smirked. "But don't worry. I

voice calm. "The name, the ma

sure was ruining her victory. She grabbed her iced coffee

t. The rage vanished, replaced by a look of pure, theatrical terror. With a guttur

" she shrieked, tears

n the scene-me, calm and dry; Kaliyah, sobbing an

rush to her. H

g over my shoulders, his eyes scanning me for any

wailed from the floor, clutching her stomach.

Kaliyah," he ordered, his voice dangerously l

out of the cafe, leaving Kaliyah weeping on the floor. He drove

me into our pristine, white living room. "I'll handle it.

t. "I want to go to my art studio." It w

e, baby.

et revenge for me. He even offered to give me a foot massage lat

ness that went bone-deep. I just wanted to sleep.

is touch gentle on my arm. "Here,

rtaste, but I was too tired to care. I lay down on the chaise l

y abdomen. It was a vicious, twisting cramp that stole m

hing my belly. It was locked from the outsid

w. The pain intensified, a relentless, fiery agony that brought black spots to my vision.

thought was a pr

nostrils. I was in a sterile white room, an IV drip in

ndre. An

ion. "I put a sedative in her water, just like you wanted

nt purr. "She needed to be taught a lesson.

dative. He had drugged me. His pregnant wife. All to appease h

my nails into the palm of my hand, carving deep crescents into the soft fle

nside, his face a mask of worried devotion

by, you're awake. You