Chapter 12
Ema's
A full week had passed. It was seven long days since that gunshot had echoed through the halls of the house like a clap of thunder. It was seven days since Derek had held me in the dark and whispered those apologies that I still did not understand. He had told me he was sorry, but he had also warned me to stay away from Peter. I spent every hour of that week thinking about his words and the way his voice had sounded—broken and tired.
I followed every single rule he gave me. I spent my time cleaning every surface of the house until the wood and stone shone under the lights. I kept my head down whenever someone walked past me. I stayed quiet, making sure I did not make any unnecessary noise. I did not argue with Derek or Marcus. I did not ask for anything. I simply existed within the walls of my new prison.
