Years of marriage told me he wasn’t joking. And everything in this house made my skin crawl; I didn’t want to stay here another second.
Numbly, I turned to Vanessa. Each word tasted like blood and humiliation.
"Ms. Ruiz... I’m sorry for earlier."
At her subtle nod, Cooper ran into the bedroom and came back with a baseball bat. Without hesitation, he swung it hard at my knee.
The blow sent me crashing to the floor in agony. Vanessa let out a delighted little laugh, her eyes glittering with triumph.
"Oh dear, how clumsy of him. Cooper’s probably just too used to beating stray dogs downstairs—he gets restless if he goes a day without it. I hope you won’t take it personally, Ms. Brooks."
"But you know, one little ‘sorry’ doesn’t seem fair compensation. I actually have an idea..."
Her lips curled into a slow, poisonous smile before she ground her heel into my hand—again and again.
A sickening crunch rang out. My bones shattered under her heel. The bracelet—my daughter’s ribs—was crushed into powder.
I ignored the pain in my hand, scrambling to gather the precious bone dust, my tears blurring the floor.