LOGIN"That woman..." she pointed at her without a shred of hesitation, "...should be ashamed of herself. If she wanted to help you, there were other ways. A decent woman would have taken you anywhere but here. Instead she surrounded you with this filth and expected you to believe it was a home." Denise
Hazel held her tightly, too tightly. As though letting go for even a second might mean losing her all over again. She buried her face against Gianna's hair. "You found me..." Gianna whispered through tears. Hazel couldn't answer. She only held her closer. Then, over Gianna's shoulder, Hazel lifted
Salvatore watched her, "Hazel." She didn't stop, "If there's even the smallest chance my daughter is there..." her hands shook as she pulled on her coat, "...then she's not spending another minute in that place." She was halfway to the door before Salvatore caught up beside her. "Hazel, we don't
She slipped off Denise's lap and crossed the room, wrapping one arm around the pole, she pushed lightly from the floor. Her body rose in one smooth motion. She curled around the pole like a ribbon caught in the wind, every movement precise, every line unmistakably shaped by years of ballet. For a
Gianna laughed, suddenly shy beneath all the attention, "It wasn't perfect." "Oh, listen to Miss Perfection." Denise pointed toward the chrome pole standing near the corner of the room, "What about that?" Gianna followed her finger, "The pole?" Tasha nodded, "You think you can climb it?" Gianna
Before she could react, Morgan gently pressed the black costume into her arms, "Wear it." Gianna stared, "...No." "Yes!" they all shouted in unison. Denise hid another smile behind her coffee. Gianna looked toward her for help, "Mama D?" Denise lifted both hands, "I've learned not to argue when
He smiled faintly before looking back toward Mom. "They got more of her than me," he said. "Thank God for that." A small smile touched his mouth before fading. "I was a different man back then. I loved Isabella, but we were terrible for each other. Too young. Too proud. Too angry," his eyes drift
Gianna ━⊰ ❦ ⊱━ I didn't remember falling asleep. One second I had been sitting on the floor beside the bed. The next second, a hand touched my shoulder. I jerked awake so fast my neck immediately protested. For a moment I didn't know where I was, then reality crashed back into me. Mom. ALS. Eve
And suddenly I understood why everyone had been acting strange. Why Salvatore looked at her the way he did. Why Vincenzo insisted on taking her to the doctor himself. Why Claire checked on her constantly. Why everyone seemed careful around her. God. God. God. My stomach lurched. Mom's voic
"Jules." "What?" My little sister glared at Raphael and then looked back at me, "If she murdered somebody, I want details." Mom laughed softly and the sound pulled my attention toward her. She sat at the table with her tea in both hands, smiling at Jules with so much affection it made my chest ac







