His hands wrapped around the mug.
He didn’t look up.
“He said there’d been an accident.
He said Chloe was gone.
He said Ava had been driving.”
“And you knew that wasn’t true.”
A long pause.
“I knew he’d been drinking when I left the house.
I knew he was in no state to drive.” His voice was rough.
“I didn’t know he’d gotten in the car.”
“But when he told you Ava had been driving—”
“I knew.” The words came out flat and quiet.
“I knew it wasn’t right.
But he was my brother.
And Chloe was already gone.
And I told myself that charging him wouldn’t bring her back.”
Ava made a sound beside me.
Not a word.
Just a breath, sharp and short.
Marcus finally looked at her.
“I am sorry, Ava.
What happened to you — what you had to carry — that was wrong.
