Ten years without seeing her beautiful smile, hearing her say my name—it’s been torture. Worse than anything I’ve ever suffered at the hands of dirty men. I had never known love until Layla was born, and for years, my world revolved around her seeing another day. Then, it revolved around protecting her from me and all the baggage that I towed around. And now, it feels like I’ve finally been set free. From the chains that were wrapped around my ankles, constantly dragging me back into my sordid past every time I tried to escape it. “I get to see her,” I squeak out between harsh wails.
