I was holding my newborn when my uncle walked into the hospital room and saw the marks on my neck.

he almost never received. Martin had sold his lake house to pay lawyers who could not rescue him from forged documents carrying his own signature.

Ray bounced Eli softly on his knee. “Boss of the family, huh?”

I looked at my son and smiled, finally peaceful.

“Yes,” I said. “And he’s six months old.”