AMANI — SIX YEARS AGO ( AGE 19)
*** “Sweetheart, you look so excited this morning. What’s going on?” I grin at my aunt and twirl, showing off my little white dress. I decided to wear this dress today because white is my fiancé’s all time favourite colour. “I have a date with Bhyron. He asked me to look extra nice today because he has a special surprise for me. I’m so excited.” Something flashes in Aunt Ophelia’s eyes, but it disappears so quickly, I’m left wondering if I’d imagined it. Her lips stretch in a wide grin. “Oh, that’s wonderful. You look gorgeous, my love. I hope you have a wonderful time.” A part of me registers that her excitement seems a bit forced, but just like the naïve nineteen year old that I am, I choose to ignore it. Aunt Ophelia has been taking care of me ever since my parents died in an unfortunate boat cruise accident early last year. She has two grown children but decided to raise me as her own. I love her so much. Without her and Bhyron, I would’ve probably died of drug overdose after the death of my parents. Suddenly, the smooth horn of a car filters in through the open windows and my heart soars with even more excitement. Oh, I’m so in love. “That’s my man! I’ll see you later, aunt. Don’t let Doherty eat all the chocolate cake!” Doherty’s my cousin and Aunt Ophelia’s first son. Without waiting for her response, I snatch my hot pink purse from the kitchen island and proceed to float out of the kitchen on the wings of love. Literally. Outside, the fluttering of my heart morphs into fierce drumming when I sight the gleaming, silver Maserati parked by the curb. But what really draws my attention is the man leaning against it. Bhyron Macaulay. The man of my dreams. The air I breathe. The love of my life. Over the years, Bhyron has grown right before my eyes, from a tall, gangly teenager to a solid, muscled young man. At twenty-four, he’s accomplished way too much for a man his age, and I’m so proud to call him mine.The fact that he’s gorgeous-as-sin is just an added bonus. He’s dressed in a silk dress shirt that’s neatly tucked into sleek, black slacks. His feet are encased in shiny Tomfords, and when he looks up, those fierce blue eyes fixate on me, sending pleasurable shivers up my spine. My man. My man. My man. He holds out a hand to me and I literally run into his arms, giggling when he kisses my neck. “Mmm, Vanilla.” He whispers in that delicious , throaty baritone. Just how I like it.” Three minutes later, I’m seated inside the luxurious Maserati and we’re already speeding towards our destination. “Where are we going?” I ask, too excited to notice his sudden, unusual silence. “To your favourite place, Little Caramel. The beach.” I let out a high-pitched squeal of joy and a corner of his lips lift in a sensuous smile. The ride passes by quickly with me chattering nonstop. Finally, we arrive and he helps me out of the car. My excitement gradually dwindles when we just keep walking towards the water. I expected a reservation at a beach restaurant or even a romantic picnic by the ocean. I keep stealing glances at him but he doesn’t return my gaze. Bhyron’s a naturally quiet guy, but today, he seems distant. My confusion escalates when we finally get as close to the water as allowed… and just stop. “Uh… babe? Where’s the restaurant?” I ask with a nervous smile. Bhyron takes off his designer glasses and looks down at me with a closed off, unreadable expression. “What restaurant?” Okay… “The beach restaurant, silly. Or is it a picnic?” I look around excitedly, searching for the blanket and romantic set up. Bhyron frowns. “I never said I was taking you to a restaurant, neither did I say we were going on a picnic date. I only said we were going to the beach.” I wouldn’t be bothered if he’d said that to me on a normal day, but his tone is harsh, slightly condescending. Bhyron has never, ever spoken to me in that manner. I suddenly feel apprehensive. The dread in my stomach triples further when he suddenly lets go of my hand. I know I might come off as clingy and needy, but at this point, I do not care. Something’s not right. I can feel it. And it scares me to death. “Babe? What’s wrong with you? Are you okay? Did I do something wrong?” I try to hold his hand again but he steps back. That’s when I realise that something is indeed not right. “We’re not here for a date or any of that bullshit. We’re here because I’ve got something important to say.” I blink in surprise. I’ve known Bhyron since I was five years old and I’ve never heard him swear even once. He considers it ungentlemanly. What’s going on? Finally, he looks me in the eyes and says those words that would leave me heartbroken for a long, long time. “I am no longer interested in this betrothal, Amani. I’m no longer interested in this relationship. Let’s call it quits. It’s over.” For a moment, I just stand there, struggling to come to terms with what I’ve just heard. I’m shocked. No, that’s an understatement. I’m flabbergasted. “B-babe, what are you saying?” I stutter helplessly. “Why? What happened? I thought things were going great…” He holds up a hand, effectively cutting me off. His gorgeous face is twisted with anger and his eyes blaze with annoyance. “There’s no need for all of these questions. I’m choosing to call it quits. You should respect my decision.” An image of what my life would look like without Bhyron suddenly flashes in my mind. Propelled by desperation, I lunge forward and grab his shirt; “Babe, please. Please, don’t do this. Just tell me what I did wrong. I’m sorry. I’ll change, I promise. Just, please…” my voice breaks as tears cascade down my cheeks in torrents. My heart is broken. I can hear it shatter to the sand in a million pieces. If Bhyron leaves me today, I might as well kill myself because I would never survive it. Bhyron grabs my hand that’s firmly wrapped around his shirt and pushes me away, causing me to stumble backwards in the sand. “Don’t you have any self respect?!” He spits bitterly, his voice dripping with disgust. “No!” I sob as I run towards him. “No, please…” “I never loved you, Amani!” He bellows suddenly. “It was all lies.” I freeze, my pulse pounding wildly against my throat. “Wh-what?” “You heard me.” He snarls. “I never loved you. The only reason we’ve been together this long is because of my parents. They forced this betrothal on me. I never wanted to be in a relationship with someone like you.” I shut my eyes tight and press my left palm against my chest, over my broken heart. It hurts. It hurts so badly. Bhyron retrieves his phone from his pocket and quickly scrolls through it, then he waves it in my face; “This is the woman I’m in love with. Her name is Sharon, and we’re getting married in a month’s time.” I blink in shock and recognition… because I recognise the gorgeous, dark-haired lady on the screen. Her name is Sharon Armstrong. Her family, the Armstrongs, own the biggest petroleum company in the city. And they’re filthy rich. “You’re in love with Sharon? You’re getting m-married?” I ask with a small voice. Bhyron nods and my tears fall afresh. “B-but why? What does she have that I don’t? I thought you loved me. I’ve been betrothed to you since the day I was born, Bhyron. You’re the only man I know. What do you want me to do? How do expect me to start over?” “This is exactly why I don’t want us to get married.” He growls angrily. “You’re just weak, filthy trash, Amani. We were never in the same social standing anyways. I can’t marry a woman who isn’t in my class. I hope you understand and stay away.” No. I will never understand. He turns to leave but my words stop him in his tracks; “If you leave me, I’ll kill myself.” I threaten mindlessly. “I’m not joking, Bhyron. If you leave, you can kiss me goodbye forever.” His shoulders are stiff as he turns to me. His eyes are ice cold. His jaw is tight. “Do whatever you want, Amani. I don’t care about you and I never have. I only endured this relationship because of my parents, but not anymore. If you want to die, then die. Those are the final words that break my heart completely. No longer able to hold myself up, I sink to the ground, consumed by pain and sorrow. I watch him leave, hoping he’d turn around and tell me that it’s all a silly prank. I’d forgive him willingly. I’d take him back without complaint. But he doesn’t. Instead, Bhyron climbs into his car and drives away, leaving me behind. This is the story of how Bhyron Macaulay hacked my heart to pieces. After him, I promised to swear off men, but in my second year of college, when I hadn’t even recovered from the pain he’d caused, I met Henry, and made the same mistake all over again. Now, six years later, Bhyron is back to torment me. I’m starting to think he’d made a vow to himself to make my life a living hell… *** BHYRON (PRESENT) ‘Don’t touch her. Don’t touch her. She’s not yours. Yet.’ Those words float around my brain like a chant as I watch Amani twirl a strand of her naturally white-blonde curls around one slender finger. It takes a lot of self control to stop myself from reaching out and wrapping the golden strands around my fists, just like the good old days. Six years ago, I told myself that I wasn’t going to search for her. I told myself that I could forget her. But Amani has occupied my mind every single day for the past six years. I go to bed thinking about her and wake up only after dreaming about her. So basically, I lied to myself. I finally caved and searched for her on social media two years ago, only to receive the heart shattering news that she’d gotten married. When I first walked into the ward and laid my eyes on her, I can swear my heart shifted. I’ve missed her terribly. Now that she’s within my reach, I’m never, ever letting her go again. Suddenly, she looks up and pins me with those bright chocolate eyes. “What are you still doing here?” I frown. “Excuse me?” “You came here to inform me that I’m indebted to you. Message delivered. You can leave now.” I remain frozen to my chair, unsure of how to react. She’s right. They still have two days to repay their debt and I have no reason to be here. But one thing is certain. I don’t want to leave. Amani’s eyes flash with annoyance and she points at the door. “In case you’re confused, the door is that way. Please, leave.” I’m just about to respond when suddenly, violent vibrations rock the room and the building trembles in response. My heartbeat accelerates and Amani’s eyes widen in shock seconds before the lights go out, Shit! It’s an earthquake warning. We’ve been getting these warnings for the past few weeks. No one is certain if New York will experience an actual earthquake, but these mini earthquakes are gradually becoming a normal occurrence. Adrenaline shoots through my system as the vibrations start coming in quick successions. I hear Amani’s whimper of fear and without thinking, I dive onto the bed, wrap her small frame tightly against my chest and roll off, choosing to take cover underneath the sturdy bed. It takes a moment for the adrenaline to wear off and for me to realize that Amani is safely tucked in my arms, and she’s not fighting me. But she’s scared. I can feel it. Her delicious vanilla scent fills my nostrils and sends blood rushing to my cock in torrents. This is the only woman who can turn me on without even trying. Before I even get the chance to properly savor the moment, the lights come back on. I know the moment Amani realizes that she’s no longer in danger — she stops trembling and her shoulders stiffen in response to my touch. Slowly, she looks up and our gazes clash and hold. The world suddenly stops spinning. We’re so close, I can count every single one of her thick, long lashes. Her lips part and I can no longer hold myself back. Without thinking, I wrap my fingers around her nape, gently push her head closer and cover her lips with mine. Almost immediately, I feel a sharp, painful sensation that has me releasing her and rearing backwards in surprise. Amani’s lower lip is covered in blood and her eyes are blazing with chocolate rage. Shit! She bit me. “How dare you kiss me without my permission?!” She snaps on an almost growl. “Try this nonsense again and I’ll rip your lips off right before suing your ass for assault…”AMANIFool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. And I swear on my dead son, I will never allow another man to fool me more than once.It’s the next day and I’m currently staring at myself in the mirror at my apartment, wondering if the hollow-eyed, bushy haired woman staring back at me is really me. One thing is certain — I need to do away with her. Immediately.After I threatened to sue Bhyron’s ass yesterday, he rolled out from underneath the bed, helped me to my feet and walked out without saying a single word.I don’t know how I did it, but I managed to get myself discharged from the hospital without calling my aunt.She kept blowing my phone with endless calls last night, but I wasn’t ready to speak to her yet. Last night was for crying my eyes out about my son and our new financial problem. At least it’s new to me.This morning, the sun is up, the birds are chirping and Amani Wilson is a new woman. I’m ready to give Aunt Ophelia a piece of my mind.There’s somethin
BHYRON“…that’s what she said, boss. Miss Amani did not accept the invitation.”I’m currently seated in my office, staring at the crumpled invitation on my glass desk and wondering when the high-spirited, carefree Amani I once knew became so stubborn.I get to my feet and pace to the floor-to-ceiling windows of my office, pressing a button on the wall to part the heavy draperies.The design of my office alone screams luxury. Every single item I use here is gotten from outrageously expensive sources all over the world. I have everything I could ever want in life. Except her. And I want Amani. Badly. Obsessively. I can almost imagine her saying those exact words, her lips pouting perfectly like they always do.“Chocolate chips will have to fall from the sky, huh?” Fiddling with my pencil, I turn to Jay.“If Amani wants Chocolate chips, then she will get chocolate chips. Assemble your men. You have work to do…”***AMANIAfter Bhyron’s messenger leaves, I no longer have the strength to
AMANIIt’s settled. I do believe that I have descended into the mangrove of craziness, straight into Crazy town and landed in Crazy river. Because why am I actually contemplating Bhyron’s offer?He’s right. Aunt Ophelia and I actually have less than twenty four hours to cough up twenty million dollars, otherwise, we might as well kiss our family company goodbye. I’m supposed to be looking for ways to repay the loan, but all I’ve been able to do for the past few hours is stare at pictures of my dead son and cry my eyes out.I sure as hell know we’re not coughing up anything before twelve noon tomorrow. We might as well choke in the process.So it’s settled. I’m attending the grand opening of La Mariée Dansante. Great.Even though I’m currently in a hateful relationship with the Macaulays, especially with their golden first born son; even though I’m still mourning the death of my precious boy, I cannot sit around and watch my parents’ hard work go down the drain. I have to do somethin
AMANIBut not for the loud music blasting from the speakers, the entire club would’ve heard my voice. Instead, the only people who are aware of our little quarrel are the people around us.I’m almost standing toe-to-toe with Bhyron, my chest heaving heavily with anger while he simply looks down at me with those icy blue eyes. Instead of apologizing, he looks over my shoulder at Richie, the millionaire tech. guy.“That was supposed to be a joke, Richie. But if you’d excuse me, I’d like to speak with Miss Amani in private.”“Of course. I understand.” Richie nods and walks away.Bhyron looks back at me, his sexy lips set in a hard, straight line.“Let’s go to my office. We need to talk.”Everyone has gone back to minding their business, but I can still feel some curious eyes on us. I fold my arms, lift my chin and stare him down.“I don’t hear an apology.”I fully expect him to brush me off or make some sarcastic remark. However, to my surprise, his eyes darken with a strange emotion an
WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS VIOLENT SEXUAL ACTIVITIES.***BHYRONI’ve been watching Amani through the CCTV footage on my iPad ever since she wandered off, not because I’m scared that she might figure out the secrets lurking behind the walls of this club, but because I’m obsessed.Red is the worst colour to ever exist in my opinion. The mere sight of it brings back horrible memories, memories I’d rather keep buried forever…but red on Amani is just divine. I’m slowly starting to realize that her aunt was not joking one bit when she said that Amani has changed. I observed her reaction during her short conversation with Sharon. The former Amani would’ve cowered and lowered her head in defeat. The new Amani is bolder, fiercer, more powerful. Her replies left Sharon stunned. I, on the other hand, was just pleasantly surprised.The old Amani wouldn’t dance for no reason as she roamed the empty halls of my club. The old Amani wouldn’t walk into a room filled with strangers without know
AMANI“I hate you…”Bhyron looks totally distraught. Despite the pain that has my back and thighs cramping, I slide off the table and fix my dress, tears of pain and shame sliding down my cheeks in torrents.I don’t say another word to him. I don’t even look at him as I make my way to the door. This was all my fault and I take full responsibility for it. It will never happen again. That’s a fact.I’m almost at the door when I feel a hand on my shoulder. I freeze.“Amani, listen to me…”“Get your hands off of me!” I screech, lunging away from him. “The next time your hand touches me, be prepared to lose it.”My teeth are gritted, my fingers are curled tight and my eyes are blazing with rage. But deep down, my heart is breaking. Deep down, I’m concealing my pain with anger.Bhyron Macaulay will never see my weak side. That’s a vow.“You’ve caused enough damage to last a lifetime, Bhyron. I’d advise you to stay away from me.”I turn to leave once more but he keeps following me.“Amani, I
BHYRONI fall on my knees and await my punishment, head bent. I can feel Duke hesitate above me, but I know he’ll eventually give in. He knows that this is the only way I can pay for my sins. The only way I know.“Can you at least tell me what happened?”I look up and hold his gaze; “I whipped Amani. I hurt her.”Duke lets out a low curse. “How? Why?”I shake my head and stiffen my shoulders. “I’ll give you all the details later. Just… do as I’ve asked. Please.”There’s a moment of tense, choked silence. Then Duke finally responds;“Okay, then. Since this is what you want.”I hear the “whooshing” sound as the whip flies through the air before it lands on my back. Pain erupts on my skin like a burning furnace, licking its way up my arms and penetrating my muscles.Duke whips me mercilessly even when I fall and writhe on the marble floors. I don’t make a single sound. I swallow the pain. I deserve it.The last time I made him do this, I had blood on my hands. I was guilty of a horrendou
AMANIFor lying to us and getting our hopes up only to end up doing us dirty like this, wherever Bhyron’s lawyer is right now, I hope his coffee is always cold before he even gets the chance to take the first sip.The moment Bhyron reveals himself, the atmosphere visibly shifts, becoming tighter, laced with electricity. He stands tall and powerful beside his car, looking down on us like we’re unworthy peasants at his noble throne.When his eyes fall on me, I’m pretty sure he expects me to look away, but I stand firm and hold his gaze despite my shaky fingers.What happened last night will remain in the past. It’s a brand new day and I’m ready to move forward. I guess.“Do you have my money ready?” He asks without mincing words. I open my mouth to speak but Aunt Ophelia pulls my arm, signifying that I should keep silent while she steps forward and addresses Bhyron;“Mr. Bhyron, please don’t do this. Give us a few more days, please. I promise we’ll have the money ready by the end of t
AMANI God, everything hurts. The wild banshee in my brain is back, and it’s screaming at the top of its lungs. I feel like shit and I’m pretty sure I look like shit, too.My eyelids flutter open and I wince as the bright white light pierces my poor eyeballs.“It hurts.” I whisper softly. “The light’s too bright.” Then I hear his voice. It slips through the fog in my brain, calming me and soothing my aches like nothing else ever will.“She’s awake! Adjust the lights, Duke. Her eyes are hurting.”The lights are adjusted immediately and my heart beats frantically as my eyes rove the room in search of him.Bhyron Macaulay. My husband.Finally, his face fills my vision and I break into a loopy smile. “Bhyron…”“Hi, my pretty baby.” His voice, strong and husky and soft all at the same time wafts over me like a comforting blanket.Wait. His eyes are red. Was he crying?Even if it hurts like hell, I raise my hand and trail a finger across the wet tracks on his face.“Were you crying?”“Don
BHYRONEIGHT MONTHS LATER…“I’m sorry, sir, but your wife’s condition is extremely critical. She will not be able to push this baby. We’ll have to perform an emergency C-section if we want both of them alive and healthy.” Five hours ago, Amani’s water broke. We were having a mini family dinner with everyone in attendance when it happened. She was only eight months and two weeks along so it came as an unexpected surprise. I’d tried my absolute best to keep her healthy during the course of the pregnancy. I don’t understand where I went wrong. I’m pretty sure I read every pregnancy book on the earth’s surface. My wife is stubborn as hell but I always managed to keep her on a good diet and ensure she exercised daily. Right now, a part of me registers that I’m panicking. This is all my fault. Definitely my fault. I must’ve done something wrong. I didn’t take care of her properly. I missed a step. I overlooked something…“Mr. Macaulay, I’m still waiting for your response.” The doctor’s u
AMANII’m scared, shocked and shaken to the core, and I don’t think I’ll ever get over the cold expression in Mrs. Emily’s eyes when she spoke about her late sister. Grandpa Ayutthaya never mentioned that he had a daughter who died during childbirth. How strange.But the main reason for my fear is Bhyron.He hasn’t said a single word since we left Beauty and Roses. Not one word.I tried to talk to him, to cajole him into saying something…into telling me how he felt. But I got nothing. Nada. Zilch.He just urged me into the car, wrapped me in his arms, pressed his nose to my neck and remained that way until we arrived at the penthouse. Now he’s inside his office behind closed doors, and he’s been there for the past two hours.I’m gradually losing my mind.“Duke, I don’t know what to do anymore. I don’t wanna disturb him. I’m scared that he won’t speak to me. Help!!.”I’ve been on the phone with Duke for the past five minutes, explaining what happened.“Take him on a mini vacation, Ama
BHYRONThe past few days have just been a rollercoaster of revelations. It’s crazy how so many secrets can be swept under the rug for years. It’s even more appalling how lives can be ruptured by these secrets within seconds.I asked my mother for an urgent meeting and of course, she tried to come up with excuses. But I told her in a not-so-kind tone that we had something important to discuss. Then I hung up. I’m not sure if she’d actually want to see me, but something tells me that I need to speak to her. Today.I want to send Amani home but she’s feeling a bit nauseous so I’ve decided to keep her by my side. I need to keep a close eye on her.Right now, we’re walking through my mother’s clothing company, Beauty and Roses, Amani’s smaller hands firmly clasped in mine.“Oh, Mr. Macaulay. Your mother already informed me of your coming. She’s waiting for you in the office.” I nod at Carla, the receptionist. “Sure. Thanks.”Seconds later, I’m knocking on the heavy oak door. The door swi
AMANI“I want to see grandpa today.” I mutter excitedly as I fly down the stairs.I woke up an hour ago to an empty bed. Bhyron was gone, but there was a note on the bedside table that made my heart flutter.“Little Caramel,I prepared a scented bath for you. Soak in it so you can relax. Afterwards, come downstairs for breakfast. Your husband is waiting.”I literally swooned all the way to the bathroom.If anyone had told me that Bhyron and I would be together today, I would’ve probably laughed on their faces. But here I am, skipping across the penthouse, my heart giddy at the thought of seeing him again after I’d all but slept inside his skin last night.I love him so much. “Bhyron!” I squeal when I arrive at the dining room.My husband looks up and his whole face lights up when he sees me. God, this man is gorgeous. Too gorgeous.He’s clean shaven this morning and dressed in a blue sweater that does magical things for his eyes. I can spot black slacks beneath. Does this mean he’s n
AMANI“Duncan, get the car ready. We’re going back to the Hope Fortress in the next five minutes.” Bhyron’s voice swims like a fog above me, pressing into my tired brain as the sound of sirens fade into the distance. He swings me into his arms and I cling onto his neck for dear life, burrowing into his chest, breathing him in.God, he smells so good. I would give anything to slide under his skin right about now. “Baby, are you okay?” He whispers as he lifts me through the revolving glass door. “How are you feeling?”“Tired.” I mumble pitifully. My emotions are all over the place. Tears currently sting my eyes but I chalk it up to pregnancy hormones.I’m just glad it’s all over. I’m glad that King Murder is finally going to jail. I hope he gets a death sentence for all his atrocities. His death would never bring back the hundreds of children he kidnapped, sold and killed, but its a start in the right direction. A monster like him does not deserve any more chances at life.When we fi
AMANIBhyron hasn’t said a single word since Sharon announced herself. Beneath my palm, his shoulders are stiff as a rock. His gaze, cold and blank, is firmly fixed on Sharon. The bitch doesn’t even have the decency to look ashamed of herself. She pats her belly with a smug expression, holding his gaze head on.“Sharon.” He seethes. “Start explaining. Now.”She shrugs unapologetically and lifts her chin. “My explanation is simple, Byron. I don’t owe you one. I tried to get us married the first time and you abandoned me at the altar. I tried again but you kept choosing her over me!” She snaps, jabbing a finger in my direction. “You and I went through so much together after she disappeared. I was by your side while you tried to build your business. But the moment Amani returned, you tossed me to the gutters like I meant nothing!”She flicks a glance at her perfectly manicured fingernails and lets out a cold chuckle..“Did you expect me to spend the rest of my life waiting for you? I m
AMANIOkay, what in the actual fuck is going on here?!I turn around and panic grips my throat like a vice as I watch Zuri stumble backwards, her eyes wide and hazy with shock.“Zuri!” Without thinking, I pull away from Bhyron and lunge towards her, grabbing her before she falls to the concrete floor.“Zuri. Baby, can you hear me?” Fear slithers down my back when she doesn’t respond. Her eyes are wide open and she’s looking straight at me, but she seems distant, almost like she’s fallen into a trance.“Bhyron, she’s not responding!”A shadow falls over me and I look up to find Duke staring down at us — at Zuri — his eyes flashing with a deadly mixture of fear, worry and rage.“Give her to me.”It’s a command. Not a request.I don’t bother arguing. I hand Zuri over to him, my heart squeezing as I watch the big man delicately maneuver my best friend into the safety of his arms. He strokes a lock of her curly blue hair out of her eyes, lowers his face to hers and whispers softly; “Zu
BHYRONThere’s something very suspicious about this entire situation. After the disaster of our wedding, I went on a fucking rampage. I burned and destroyed every single last one of King Murder’s properties that came within my reach while he went into hiding. Thinking about it now, my blood heats with the fierce hint of violence.I have to give to him, he was wise enough to hide. Because only the devil would’ve been able to look at his body once I was done with him, if I’d gotten my hands on the bastard then. I hold Amani’s soft, smaller hand in mine, still amazed by her show of strength. Yes, I would rather she stayed back at the office and out of harm’s way, but there was something about the defiant spark on her eyes when she told me she’d like to confront King Murder that stirred my stony heart.I make sure to keep her behind me, shielded by my body as we make our way down the hall. I flick a glance at our joined hands and my heart beats a painful, comforting rhythm.She didn’t p