x P

' s bulging eyes, the door flew open again.

her go!"

ons, and ripped me away from her. The force of it sent me stumbling backward, my shoulder slamming hard int

r, gasping and choking, greed

s, cradling her head against his chest. "It' s okay, baby, it' s okay. I' m here,

he helicopter is on its way. Your father is being prep

, but it was immediately swamped by the

with pain and suspicion. I wasn't going

phone and jabbed a number. A moment later, he

hines. A team of medics was bustling around him. A woman in scrubs turned to the camera. "

back to Dwight, the adrenaline that had been fueling me

wight," I said, the words t

ly stroking her hair. He didn't eve

ng ridiculou

"It's not. We had a deal. For better or f

ck. "The moment you l

't her fault. It's yours. You're the one who can't control yourself." He look

pping to a low, possessive growl. "By God, by law, by everyt

is tone sent a ch

and the white paper was smeared with Charity's blood from my fingers. I lit it, the acrid s

ght said, his voice returning to its usu

You break me, and then you offer to fix m

the next hour meticulously cleaning and bandaging the wound, his hands gentle, his eyes full of remorse. The scar was st

a message to my lawyer. `Prepare the papers. N

got there, my father was already in the ICU. I rushed toward his room, my heart po

his own son-in-law refused to help at firs

creaming in protest as I slammed against the wall to catch myself. I pushed o

en I s

beep of the heart monitor was gone, replaced by a single, fl

o

no

ped into the room, my legs feeling like lead. I rea

s skin was waxy and gray. His

g his arm. "Come on, Dad. I'm

e, silent room. He didn't mov

against the bed, my body shaking with a grief s

en I h

A peal of light, feminine

you get me that organic kale smoothie from that pl

rief. I stood up, my body trembling

n at Charity, who was propped up against a mountain of pillows. Her face was cl

g in the doorway.

ipping with fake sympathy. "Did you come to

my face. He wouldn't meet my eyes. He looked

to the room. "Lo

dn't

d up, making him face me. His eyes were full of something

my voice cracking.

just stared at me, his face a blank

our loss." The kind of empty

escaped my lips. Then, the rage

sound echoing in the quiet room like a gunshot. His he

ieked, trying to get out of

her too, so hard her head hi

and traced a path down my cheek. He looked at me then, truly looked at me, and his

hair falling out in clumps, he had held me and wept, his body shaking with grief and fear. I had held

ed, the words raw and broke

suddenly soft, reaching for

a 'grand funeral' for my father. A promise you made to my face after letting him die. Do y

miliar words, his brow

e rising to a hysterical pitch. "An

ly, his voice placating, as if speaking to a c

mise. It wa

my chignon. It was a gift from him, from a trip to As

plunged the pin deep into his shoulder, th

n pain, stu

, now slick with his blood. I looked from his

, my voice deadly calm. "I want you to pick up