Mia Knight

“Make Aunty happy again.”

Added 2025-08-24 15:00:15 +0000 UTC

Jasmine lunged at him. If Roth’s reflexes were any slower, she would have gouged his eyes out. Instead, she clawed empty air as Roth hauled her backward. She fought like a madwoman, screaming and kicking, her temper completely unleashed.

“Fuck you, Lyle!” she spat. "All these years of having my back and when I need you most, you turn on me! How dare you fucking—”

“Aunty?”

Bailey’s timid tone was as effective as a bucket of ice cold water splashed in her face. She turned her head to see her little niece in the doorway, eyes wide and frightened. Jasmine’s anger vanished in a nanosecond. Her body went limp as she deflated. She would have sank to the ground if Roth wasn’t holding her up. Ashamed, she hung her head. "I'm sorry, Bailey."

"You're fighting with Uncle Lyle?" Bailey asked in a shaking voice.

"Not anymore," she whispered as a tear slid down her cheek.

Bailey came into her line of sight, peering up at her with concerned, glistening eyes. Her niece reached out and patted her arm. “Don’t be sad, Aunty.”

She couldn’t remember what happy felt like. She tried to smile at her niece, but knew she fell far short. “I’ll try.”

Bailey looked past her to Roth and said with more authority than a girl of four should, “Make Aunty happy again.”

Roth’s arms tightened around her as he vowed, “I will.”

**This is a raw draft of Bitter Sins. Please do not share or distribute.