HARPER
My breath hitched as Clara continued. Her words, sharp and furious, crashed into me all at once. They struck deep, reminding me exactly how flawed I was.
Reminding me how much I was hiding from Julian.
How much of a liar I had become. Just like the man I condemned.
"Did you, Harper?" she demanded.
I tried to swallow past the thick knot in my throat, but it wouldn't budge.
"You didn't," she let out a cold, sarcastic laugh. "And don't look at me like that. I'm not about to run and tell him."
Wasn't she?
My gaze darted to the door. Was Julian hearing any of this? Clara wasn't shouting, but she wasn't whispering either.
Then the children's laughter rang out from the other room, loud and carefree. It drowned out my fear for a moment.
Julian was playing with them. Surely he wasn't standing there, listening.
