lie

of antiseptic. For a disoriented moment, I thought I was back in t

harsher, the sile

A wave of nausea and a skull-splitting headac

I twisted my wrists, and the rough texture of leather stra

I strapp

xhausted, his face drawn and pale, but his eyes

a raw whisper. "What'

re was a flicker of something in his eyes-guilt? Regret?

The doctors say she has severe PTSD from what you did to her. She c

up again, pulling against the restraints.

ointment on his face. "Still denying it. Even now.

ges of the man I loved, the partner, the friend, ev

meant it. "But actions have consequences. You hurt her. Badl

ently behind him. The man had a cruel twist to his lips an

small table-a consent form. My blood ran cold as I saw my name, my detail

egally engaged. He had the right

right to

the sound tearing from my throat.

st walked out of the room,

predatory expression. He picked up two metal padd

voice slick. "He' s asked me to take... special care of y

closer. The

" he said, his smile widen

cold, metal dis

d in a supernova

aw, brutal electricity searing through my brain. A scream was ripped from my lungs, a s

o who I was. But the pain was absolute.

kness and cruelty? Bailey and my friends, for their blind betrayal? M

olved in another s

of fighting, of trying,

isted mask of professional concern. "T

ppet on a string. Tears streamed fr

ice in the wreckage of my mind

mes they gave me shocks. Sometimes they just left me strapped to t

ere again. He looked haggard, guilt etched into

d, his voice barely a

o my sides, my wrists raw and bruised. I sat u

rs, his touch a phantom of a long-dead ten

word was m

oat slip from my shoulders and fall to the flo

ry, scratchy thing I didn' t rec

it for you. To teach you a lesson. So you would sto

immense, I couldn' t even summon t

tantly shifting to one of gentle concern. "Kalie? What' s wrong? Are y

d at me, his face to

urse

standing alone in the ro

the ECT clinic. To Dr. Albright, my real doc

as they prepped me. "You look exhausted

tear tracing a path thro

softly. "We' re starting the anesth

sed m

of my life I was

friends who ha

career I had

home that was

that would forever

sister who had

an who had orde

estiges of a love tha

nal, blessed ac

n

kne

en, si