I know how to hide a scar. I learned that before I learned to read.
My father put most of them on me. My mother looked away, then signed me into county care and called it mercy. Now she has a new husband, Warrick Creed, a man with a smile for cameras and a cold house for me. He wants a stepdaughter for his campaign. Delia wants me quiet and covered.
Warrick’s sons are not quiet. My new stepbrothers see my scars and do not flinch. They ask before they touch. They stop when I say stop. Stellan and Ames watch me like I am something they have been waiting to protect. Then Warrick’s old friend Corvin Leith steps in, and his real power makes Warrick’s cameras look like toys. These men make me feel precious. They also make me feel wanted.
But I have never been safe without a price. Can I keep this home, or will needing them be another thing I pay for?
