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Prologue

30 kilometers outside of Budapest, 23 Years Earlier

Publisher’s Note: If you’ve read the prequel novella Sweeter Than Hate, you o directly to Part III

“Mos on her mother’s sleeve from the backseat “Mommy, can I have a cookie?”

She’s bored and hungry It’s getting dark, and all she can see through the carare trees and snow They’re taking the scenic route, Daddy said, a pretty route But it’s a longer route, and she doesn’t find it all that pretty She’d much rather they took the train to Grandma Hanna’s place, like always

“No,dinner soon” Her lance at her The corners of her blue eyes crinkle with a war softly around her face as she says, “Just wait a little longer, okay?”

“Okay” The girl sighs and looks out theTrees, snow, trees The black ribbon of the asphalt winding through the forest All boring, boring, boring But she’s a good girl, and she knows better than to whine

Properto parents is important And if her mother says there will be dinner soon, she trusts that it is so

She’s zoning out, half-dozing, when her father suddenly sla from his mouth Her small body jerks forward, kept in place only by the seatbelt cutting into her as the car screeches to a halt

“Ow!” She rubs her forehead where it hit the hard cushion of the back seat “Daddy, that hurt!”

“Hush, Mina” Her father’s voice is strangely tight as he stares straight ahead “Just be quiet, okay, sweetheart?”

Blinking, the little girl lowers her hand and follows his gaze Twoin front of the car Where did they co on the road like that?

Is that why Daddy hit the brakes so hard?