She made an effort to readjust her position, hoping to alleviate the strain on her ribs, but only ended up inflicting further damage to herself. Her wrist was throbbing with pain, yet it was nothing compared to the pounding ache in her head where her mother had struck her with the rear end of a firearm, or the internal hemorrhage in her heart as she came to the devastating realization that she truly was insignificant to her kin. Floyd had been correct about that, at the very least. Her parents were indeed dreadful people.
A commotion from the lower level of the house drew her attention away from her own thoughts. James stood up, unholstering the firearm at his side before abandoning her in the room. Lucielle muttered a stifled curse as she made an attempt to sit upright. However, all she
