His fist connected with my face again, sending me sprawling into the dirt. Pain exploded across my cheekbone, the metallic taste of blood filling my mouth. But I wouldn't yield.
"Just give me the damn necklace!" he growled, looming over me.
I clutched the crystal pendant to my chest, curling my body around it protectively. Inside this delicate crystal was all I had left of Violet—a small portion of my daughter's ashes encased in the stone.
"I can't," I wheezed through split lips. "It's my daughter."
He kicked me in the ribs, and I heard something crack. White-hot pain shot through my side, stealing my breath. Still, I didn't release my grip on the pendant.
"Your daughter?" He laughed cruelly. "Lady, that's just a stupid necklace."
