로그인Diane's POVMy brother looks like a man who has been losing for a long time and has only just admitted it to himself.He steps out of the elevator in a jacket that has seen significantly better days, the leather cracked at the elbows, his hands shoved into pockets that might contain nothing at all. His eyes move around the penthouse with that specific expression people get when they are trying not to look impressed and failing completely.He is broader than I remember. A little greyer at the temples. Thirty-four years old and wearing every single one of them.His eyes find me across the marble expanse of my living room."Dee," he says. It's the name I absolutely hate, the one he uses when he wants something from me. I don't remember the last time I saw him look this sober."Darole," I say back, my heart racing wondering what sort of conversation I'm about to have with my brother who I have not had a proper conversation with in years.Jason cups my face and plants a kiss on my lips."I
Diane's POVIt’s been months since I spent a night away from Jason. The two-week break I needed wasn’t just about the abortion; it was about untangling the emotional wreckage that came with it.Having Scar and Nancy by my side made it bearable. Getting rid of the pregnancy was difficult, but necessary. I’d rather be childless than have a child caught in the crossfire of an unsolved case. The relief I felt was overwhelming, though weird.When I walk through the front door, Jason is waiting. He crosses the distance between us in seconds, his arms wrapping around me with a force that steals the breath from my lungs.I don't fight it. I let the strap of my bag slip from my shoulder and bury my face against his chest, inhaling deeply the scent of him. Mint and wood. It's so distinctly his that I can't separate the two anymore without thinking of him."I missed you," he breathes against my hair, and the knot in my chest finally loosens."I missed you too," I whisper.He pulls back slowly, k
Diane's POVThe flowers are still on my desk. White peonies. My absolute favorite. Jason knows this, of course. Which is precisely why they're there, and why I haven't thrown them away despite the satisfaction it might bring. These flowers and my anger can coexist.I refuse to examine what that means.I'm halfway through source notes when my phone rings. Expecting Nancy or Scarlett, I glance down. Instead, Liam's name flashes across the screen.I frown slightly as I answer. "Hey. What's…""He's gone.” He blurts. I've heard Liam drunk, angry, manipulative, charming, but never like this. Something fundamental has been stripped from his voice, leaving only the hollow echo behind."What do you mean gone?" I ask carefully."My dad." His voice trembles with the effort of control. "He was there last night. I sat with him for two hours. The nurses checked on him at eleven and he was stable."There's a short pause before he continues."This morning he was gone. No transfer record, no discharg
Jason's POVIt's been four days since Diane spoke to me, and the silence in our home is deafening. I know exactly why she's pissed off. I'd be furious too if my husband hit me with something as devastating as "you're only here because you needed me to fix your life." I just hope she likes the flowers I sent her this morning.Knowing Diane, they're probably sitting on her desk. She's too practical to throw out good flowers even when she's furious with me.I knew saying that would hurt her. There's no point pretending it wasn't deliberate. This darkness has been part of me since I can remember. When Carla cheated on me years ago, I didn't just leave, I cheated back just to twist the knife. That's what I do—hurt those who hurt me. Though in this case, she couldn't have known the depth of her words' impact. The last thing I want is to be anything like that son of a bitch stepfather of mine. To compare me to him was close to the most painful thing she could have said. And instead of expla
Diane's POVI take exactly four minutes in my bedroom before I walk back out. Four minutes to press my back against the door and breathe and tell myself that whatever he knows or doesn't know I am not going to fall apart in front of him. I have gotten very good at not falling apart in front of Jason. It is possibly the most exhausting skill I have ever developed.I check my reflection in the mirror quickly. Nothing on my face gives anything away. Good.I walk back into the living room. He is on the sofa with his elbows on his knees and his hands loosely clasped together, looking at the floor the way he does when he is organizing his thoughts before a conversation.He looks up when I come in and something in his expression settles slightly. Like he was waiting for me to reappear and wasn't entirely sure I would."Hey," he says."Hey," I say back.I sit in the armchair across from him and not beside him on the sofa. The armchair is deliberate and we both know it. I fold my legs undernea
Diane’s POVI feel my hand clench as Scar takes the next turn leading to the hospital. The hospital with which I secretly booked an appointment for my abortion. The vinyl of the passenger seat feels cold against my palms. Obviously I still haven't told Jason and I had to use "private time" as an excuse to get rid of my security detail. Which surprisingly worked probably because Jason now trusts that I am not being very stubborn. I can't believe he said all those things about his own child. And since that night, I haven't been able to think of anything else. It should reduce the love I have for him, right? Well it doesn't."You're alright, Diane. We're here for you" Nancy grabs my hand gently and I turn to find a sympathetic smile on her face which I try to return. Her touch is warm against my skin."I hope I'm doing the right thing" I sigh, the air catching in my throat."Yes you are!" Scar yells from the driver's seat and I almost roll my eyes. Her unlikeness for Jason only keeps gro







