“Why…”
The word slipped from Vivian’s lips as her voice trembled as if even asking the question cost her something. Her mouth was dry. Her jaw ached. Her pulse thrummed loud and sick in her ears.
She lay curled on the cold, concrete floor, her arms locked tight around her belly like a shield. The baby hadn’t kicked in minutes.
The silence inside her was more terrifying than the chaos around her. Her fingers tightened. Her shoulders trembled. Sweat clung to her skin like frost.
Across from her, Rita stood with one leg crossed over the other, hands resting on her hips, face carved into a smirk too pretty to belong in a place this cruel.
“You want to know why?” Rita asked, her voice light and amused like she was being asked about the weather. She took a step forward. Her heels clicked
