suddenly too heavy to move. She looked like a corpse dragged out of a shallow
nstantly. The cruel sneer vanished, replaced by wide, tear-filled eyes. She scrambl
oulder. "She broke in! She smashed my phone and tr
d Candy and the little girl, pulling them flush against his chest.
ted a rusty blade deep into Deanna's gut. It shatter
g blood across her cheek. She dragged her injured leg forward, her boots
c mess of guilt and panic. He tried to soften his face, attemp
mbling slightly. "Let's just calm down.
g a shaking finger at the five-year-old girl hiding against his leg.
idge of his nose-his telltale sign of lying. "It was a mistake. I w
ic of his expensive tie, wrapping it around her fist, and y
ice vibrating with a terrifying intensity. "And
pinpricks. A bead of cold sweat rolled down his temple. He gr
es turned white. Her fingernails dug through
the driveway, reaching for Dea
to maintain his image. He couldn't have his ex
out his features, replacing the panic
your first year missing, your father made a terrible investment on Wa
ently. "No. My father was conservative. He nev
"They couldn't handle the shame of the bankruptcy. Th
stretch for a fraction of a secon
dle of the night. They both died in thei
in a
roaring flames filled her ears, entirely deafening
, her boots slipping on the gravel. "No," she m
with malice. "Joseph even paid for their funeral out of his ow
re. The murder
system all at once. It was too much. The human brai
st, as if her heart had literally split in two. H
ngers twisting the material. Her knees buckled. S
ward, his hand reaching out
cep like claws, jerking him back. She shot him
ndifferent moon. A horrific, animalistic scream tore
of hot, dark blood poured from her mouth, dr
dropping forward like a severed marionette. Her forehead cracked ag
lly broke through his composed mask. He ripped his phone from his pocket a
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