I couldn’t do it. I wouldn’t live her life. My chair shot backwards, and my legs snapped straight, thrusting me into a standing position. Each member of my family whipped their heads in my direction, eyes wide. “Nikki Ward for the Wards,” I blurted. Okay, maybe it was more of a light shout. Or just a shout-shout. Moving quickly, I practically ran up the stairs. I could see the look of shock on my brothers’ faces out of the corner of my eye, but they weren’t my concern. The man—the monster—I called my father was fuming.
