Victor comes home late that night, looking exhausted. Alvin, however, is invigorated, running through the house shouting for Ian, eager to tell him all about his day. “Hello, you,” I murmur, as Victor comes over to my spot on the couch and leans down to give me a kiss. “Hello,” he replies after ou

“You – you brought my son to visit my father in prison? Your prison? Which you didn’t tell me about?” My mouth hangs open in shock and horror. “Um,” Victor says, bashful. “Well, yes. That’s…the gist of it.” “Oh my god,” I breathe, putting a hand to my chest. Ian turns to me then, realizing that s

“Evelyn,” Victor says seriously, “I want you to have a say in what happens to them if you want a say in what happens to them. This pack belongs to both of us now, and it’s a big decision. But I’ll defer to you. If you tell me that you want nothing to do with it, then I’ll take whatever action I thin

I frown at Victor as he opens his bedside drawer, half my attention on Alvin reaching out to pull Archie off of Ian and give the dog a snuggle. “Why do you want a mint?” I ask, turning back to my kids. “You just brushed your teeth.” “Sometimes, you just want a mint,” Victor murmurs, and I turn back

Then, Victor opens his hand to show me perhaps the biggest diamond I’ve ever seen in my entire life. I gasp when I see it, completely distracted from my answer. I am not a diamond afficionado, I know nothing about carats, but all I can say is that it is…big. Huge, even, and gorgeously cut and facet