Aria sat in the bathtub, her knees drawn to her chest, as her arms wrapped tightly around them. Almost like that was the only thing grounding her, as the steam from the warm bath curled around them softly.

Her skin was covered with fresh bruises, over her shoulder, her knees and parts of her arm. If she were to look in the mirror, there was no difference between her and a broken porcelain doll.

A gentle hand continued its movements on her back, it was Lucian’s.

He knelt beside the ...