Entwined Hearts: A Billionaire Romance 

is fragile moment would shatter. She could see it in the way Jasmine's face seemed even more drawn in the morning light, the way bruises stood in vivid relief against h

ught that she would wheel back, slam the door shut, and withdraw once more. Instead, Jasmi

"Let's sit," she whispered low and soft, though inside her, she was ter

ng down into her lap, fingers clasped onto the sleeves of her shirt as though she was scared to let g

cleared her throat. Again she tried, and the w

ms crossed, her face tight with concern and frustration. She shifted weight but didn't step forward. Not yet

smine might give up and retreat into herself like she had t

soft Jayla had to lean in to catch it. "It was lat

blaming herself. The look on Jasmine's face sto

s dug into her palms, small half-moons of tension carved into her skin. "They

ldn't leave her be if she just wished hard enough. Jayla saw the way her sister's hands shook, the slight r

in that hoarse voice like it had been rubbed raw. "But they were. So much stronger. And I couldn't. I coul

ists. She wasn't touching her-didn't want to overwhelm her. She let her han

at, something softened in the tautness of her face before the steel-str

The hands wouldn't let her go. "One of them held me down, and I-" Her breath hung again, and s

's chest constricted painfully, her breath catching in her throat. She could almost see it now in tha

fingers uncurling slowly as she wiped a

the name alone could rout some of

They just. Ran. And I-" Again, she fell silent, her eyes glassy from unre

to hold Jasmine-to wrap arms around her, pull her close-but she didn't. Laid her hand on her sister's

low, barely louder than a breath. "

act of being enclosed in some place called home, for it had to be felt

and Jayla knew her sister didn't quite believe i

in her face softened. The flash of anger from last night was now replaced with something far more deli

ward, dropping to a crouch in front of Jasmine so

ping her tone low but firm. "You'

d Jade; she almost seemed to show a break

quared her shoulders that little bit, a

suffocating. There was still so much not said, so much tangled

y; her voice carefully loud. "Do

htening in her lap. "No," she said, too

nding. "S'okay. You don't go

just a bit. Her shoulders weren't quite as hun

it. "Why don't we go downstairs?" she suggested, "We can

t nodded now. "Yeah," she said,

xes here, no easy answers. But there was something else far stronger: the quiet prom

ng room, the sun coming in through the windows, Jayla couldn't help but feel

ll of