The Weight of Broken Promises
But he knew when she made up her mind, there was no swaying her.
He looked at the staff. "Take good care of Bella."
They traded glances, unimpressed by his little show, and nodded.
Just then, Ada stepped up and reached for Steven's collar. "Your collar's crooked. Let me fix it."
Without even thinking, he bent his head for her.
That tiny, thoughtless move cut deeper than anything else.
The staff sucked in a quiet gasp, eyes darting to Bella, afraid to even breathe.
Steven caught himself too late. He jerked back, forced a polite distance, and muttered thanks.