LOGIN“Grieving.”Ivy blinked. “What does that mean?”“It’s… What I did for your mom.” His throat tightened. “What I did for you for a while, too.”“That doesn’t really make sense.”“It won’t,” he said, putting his hand on her shoulder. This time, she didn’t flinch away, which came as a relief. “Not until
Kade’s POVKade, Tyler, and the others didn’t return to Nightshade for two days after they left Elena behind.Each step of the way, Kade considered turning back for her. Multiple times, he had considered marching back there and scooping her up into his arms and forcing her to return with him, even k
Eventually, the floor was as clean as it would get given the circumstances. I dumped the muddy-looking water out into the pond, then scrubbed my hands, arms, and face in the sink.Exhaustion took over me by then. I flopped onto the rickety cot without thinking twice and slept.When I woke the next m
Elena’s POVI must have sat in that spot on the porch for hours. Hell, it could have been days, and I might not have even noticed.The passage of time lost all meaning. The sun rose, turning the swamp hot and fetid with the scents of still water and rotting wood. The sun reached its zenith and the f
Kade walked up to her. He didn’t sit. He got the sense that she didn’t want that. Instead, he just let her stare at Ivy. Then down at her hands. Then at Ivy again.“It’s not your fault,” he said after a long moment.Elena didn’t answer. She just blinked, then looked back out over the swamp.Just the
Kade’s POVThe shack was quiet except for Nellie, who was making a small, whimpering sound from her chair. Kade looked at her once, then looked away.Wordlessly, Elena crossed the room and dropped to her knees beside Lana. She gathered her up, both arms pulling her close, and rocked her friend back
“Until the time is right?” I pulled my hand away, feeling hot tears beginning to prick at the corners of my eyes. “What if Serena’s intention is to eliminate my child before the wedding? What then? The time is now!”Samson’s face fell. “I know. Trust me—I understand your fears. I’m a father too, you
Elena’s POV“She left me in the wilds,” Nellie finished quietly. She was sitting in the chair next to my cot, staring down at her lap with wide, tear-filled eyes. Many tears had already dripped onto her skirt as she told her harrowing tale, and each one made my heart twist for her. “With my wrists t
Elena’s POV“Your daughter?” Natasha scoffed, taking a step back. “That’s impossible, Samson. I would have remembered if I gave birth to a second child.”“I never said you were her mother.” Samson shot his wife a look. “And no, I didn’t cheat on you, either. So don’t go there, Natasha.”Natasha snap
“Tell the truth, Nellie. If you need me to jog your memory about what really happened, then I will.”I jutted my chin out and unbuttoned the first few buttons of my shirt. I revealed my bra and, most importantly, my bandages—bandages from behind which black spiderwebs still spread out across my skin







