ELLA

Of all fucking people.

She’s wearing that perfect, unshakeable smile again as she drinks me in like water. Something about the way her eyes sweep over me makes me incredibly self-conscious.

Maybe it’s jealousy. That I will never be as soft as she is, and maybe Devlin is tired of all my sharp edges. I flash her the same smile with similar intensity. “You're son?” I ask, looking back at the little boy who’s now driving back to where she stands.

“Yes.” The smile falters only ...