With a statement like there, I had no polite way of backing out. Not that I would. These kids needed me, and Elva was already having fun with them, playing on the slides. Nicholas and I would just have to put aside our differences long enough to help the kids. After that, we could go back to not g
I stared at him, startled. Did he actually think that I broke up with him to be with someone else? He must have, because he returned my stare with one of his own. “No.” I wished with all of my heart that he would believe me without an explanation. I didn’t want to lie to him. But I knew him. S
If that partner was me, I would… No. I shouldn’t go down that path, even within the safe confines of my mind. Nicholas and I would never be together again. I had too many secrets that he would never understand. Even if he knew the truth, even if he’d understood, he’d never agree with the choices
I awoke the next morning to the sound of thunder outside my window and pounding on my bedroom door. I’d barely gotten out of bed when the door burst open and a slew of Joseph’s guards flooded in. “Mommy!” Elva shouted as she hid under the covers. “At least let me get dressed,” I said, holding up
Footsteps sounded behind me. I turned to look, but my movements were sluggish. Nicholas was beside me before I ever saw him arrive. Something warm draped over my shoulders. I looked down and found a thick, waterproof coat wrapped around me. “Come on. I’ll help you inside.” He took me by the elbo
My eyes went wide. As poor as I felt, I still pushed myself upright on the bed – until he placed a hand on my shoulder and eased me back down. “I won’t give up,” I told him. “I can’t.” “I wouldn’t ask you to, except for your own safety, Piper. If you truly don’t care about being Luna, like you s
I should have known better. He stood from the bed. “There are many girls here who would make good Lunas. Olivia is perhaps the strongest of the group.” I don’t know what I had been expecting, but my stomach still twisted uncomfortably as he spoke of the other girls. “She’s beautiful and cunnin
“9?” someone gasped. I agreed, that seemed like so many people to be eliminated all at once! “9,” Nathan confirmed. “When you are eliminated, you are to pack your bags and immediately vacate the premises. There will be cars waiting to escort you home. There will be no arguments or reconsideratio