Garnar’s shock and fury leaves him near breathless. His voice sounds like a gravelly growl as he demands, “Who?” “What does it matter?” I reply. “He’s young and handsome. Tall, fit, and no disappointment in the bedroom. Not with what he’s carrying, I can tell you that.” Garnar’s hands curl into
I back up a step but catch my ankle wrong and start to stumble.In a flash, Miles reaches out. With his arms around my waist, he catches me and then brings me against him so that I am pressed to his chest.“So careless,” he grumbles. The words reverberate in his chest under my ear. “Have you forgott
“Will he bring you, Esther, as his wife? Or maybe he’ll bring that other woman again?” “That’s none of your business, Miles,” I snap. He’s baiting my anger, I know that, probably trying to punish me for my many lies this evening. I shouldn’t show him how easy he can hurt me with just a few simple
“You love doing things like this,” Cynthia continues. “Being out here with people, organizing things, seeing it all come together.” Cynthia smiles. “This is the happiest I’ve seen you in such a long time.” I almost feel a little guilty by her words, like I shouldn’t be happy. After all, I’m not at
Behind Miles rode a group of adoring men and women. They laugh at Garnar and Thea now, and at Miles’s wonderful takedown of the pair.“You can’t even handle a horse,” one man snickers. “God knows how he treats his wife.”“Poor woman deserves better,” says a younger woman. “True men know how to lead
The riders begin to line up. They will trek through the forest in pairs, with a five minute gap between them to keep from overlap. Each target is being observed through cameras to determine who shoots what and with what accuracy.Miles lines up in the lead. His father declined attending the event, b
I roll out of the way in the last minute, as the boar charges past.“Esther!” Cynthia calls. She’s steadied her horse somewhat, several yards down the trail. Sparkle Heart, already upset from earlier, continues to run.“Go! Keep riding!” I shout to her. “Get help!”“I can’t just leave you!” Her hors
“Oh, God, I don’t want to die.”I’ve wasted the past ten years of my life with a man who doesn’t – maybe never – loved me. I don’t want to waste another second. If I survive, I want to pursue a life of happiness and love.Unbidden, my thoughts slip to Miles. Of his mischievous smile. Of the strength
The next morning, the results are clear. Miles’s poll numbers are already starting to dive. Pundits debate back and forth, but the general consensus is that Edward won the debate. To many, Miles’s outburst was unwarranted and a sign of his youth and inexperience. The mood at campaign headquarters
Using his body to pin me down now, he doesn’t need to hold me down with his hand. He moves it down, over one of my own instead. We lace our fingers together and I hold on for dear life. It takes everything in me not to moan or scream or cry his name. He’s giving it to me so good, my whole body i
While everyone is in a state of shock, Miles turns away from Edward and storms off the stage. When he reaches me, he grabs my hand and drags me along behind him. We don’t slow, not to speak to the reporters waiting backstage. Not even to speak to the aides on our side, who are ready and waiting to h
Edward, however, doesn’t seem to have the same strategy, occasionally taking digs at Miles about his youth and perceived inexperience, ignoring that Miles has basically trained for this job since birth. Miles, in frustration, glances around as Edward gloats about his own successes running charitie
At once, the producer and his cameraman come closer. Out of nowhere, two other reporters join them, all with their own microphones, which they jam under my face. “Ms. Owens! What did you say to Mrs. Zimmer to start this fight?” “I… uh…” I don’t know how to respond. It’s still sinking in that thi
“Daphne… I tried… I told my parents everything, and they did their best. But there wasn’t enough proof at the time, just my word against his, and –” “Save your excuses,” Daphne says. Her face is perfectly done, with expensive, high quality makeup hiding every poor and wrinkle. Her brows are perf
The day of the debate, Miles stands in my bedroom, changing into the suit he’d left hanging on the door the night before, so it wouldn’t get wrinkles. I’ve already taken my daughters to my parents’ house. The kids were not thrilled about the arrangement. They think they’re grandparents are stuffy
Miles offers to let me go home early, but I refuse. I’ve had too many setbacks already, so many almost exclusively handed to me by Edward Zimmer. I’m not going to let him win by cowering any longer. It’s past time that I start advocating for myself. After righting myself in the chair, and assuring
They came closer to us, boxing us in, that uncomfortable hunger in their eyes, the kind I had grown horribly familiar with. Frightened, Daphne and I ran back into the orphanage. Edward was waiting for us in the hallway. “Never question me,” he said. “Don’t you see that I’m the only one keeping y