A Debt to Collect

The air inside the car was so still, it felt almost suffocating.

After a long moment, Brad looked as if he'd aged years in an instant. He reached out, gently wiping away his daughter's tears with both reverence and an endless guilt.

His voice was low and gravelly as he said, "Bella, I understand."

Bella closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, an icy calm remained, as though she was made o