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"It was her boyfriend?" she asked quietly

I sed hard "The little fuck had been hitting her He was s it in places that weren’t so easily noticeable She stayed with him I didn’t knohy at first Come to find out that she was too scared of him to break up" Unable to sit still, I stood and prowled toward the"Who kno long it would’ve continued if Mom hadn’t walked in when she did Would Teresa have finally told so her one night and killed her?"

My head hung forward All of this felt like yesterday--the anger and helplessness "God, I was so pissed, Avery I wanted to kill the fuck He was beating up my sister and oing to do? Both of the, whatever And that’s bullshit I wasn’t okay with that I left Thanksgiving night and I found hi sht out I told him he couldn’t come around my sister anymore and you knohat that little punk did?"

"What?" she whispered

"He got all up inchest at hed, but there was no hury isn’t even the word to use I was enraged I hit hi, I faced her "I didn’t stop hitting hi screaetas she stared at me

I rubbed my palms over my cheeks "I ended up in jail and he ended up in a coma"

Hermy chin, I looked away as I sat in the hts before--nor like that My knuckles were busted wide open and I didn’t even feel it My dad" I shook one away for a long time for that, but I didn’t Guess it helped that the kid woke up a few days later

"I got off easy--not even a night in jail" I smiled wryly "But I couldn’t leave hoot worked out I ended up with a year’s worth of community service at the local boys’ club and then another year’s worth of anger ement That’s what I do every Friday My last session is in the fall My family had to pay restitution and you don’t even want to knosoccer because of the coot off easy"

Avery looked away, brows pressing together Her face was pale and the longer she was silent, the sicker I felt What had I--

"I understand," she said quietly I stared at her, not sure I was hearing her correctly

"What?" I said hoarsely

"I understand why you did it"

Did she hear anything I had done? I stood "Avery--"

"I don’t knohat it says aboutthe crap out of someone isn’t the answer, but she’s your sister and" She paused, seeht words "There are so"

I stared at her

She unfolded her legs "And there are probably some people who don’t even deserve to breathe It’s a sick and sad thing to say, but it’s true The guy could’ve killed your sister Hell, he could have beaten soirl to death"

"I deserve to be in jail, Avery I almost killed him"

"But you didn’t"

I opened my mouth, but there were no words How could she be so understanding?

"Let ain?"

The million-dollar question "I still would’ve driven to his house and I would’ve hit him Maybe not as badly, but honestly, I don’t think it would’ve changed anything The bastard beat my sister"

She inhaled deeply "I don’t bla as if I should drop to my knees "You’re"

One slim shoulder rose "Twisted?"

"No" I smiled, absolutely duo that far," she said, grinning slightly

"Seriously" I sat down beside her on the couch "I thought you would be disgusted or angry if you knew"

Avery shook her head, sending strands of coppery hair everywhere

My God, she wasthere were no words Dropping orilla had been lifted offthat off my chest I don’t want there to be secrets between us"

Her lips curved up and I kissed their corners Overcoirl wasshe was perfect in all the ways that mattered

I kissed the top of her head, and her chest rose sharply The relief I felt was staggering, and I honestly hadn’t prepared , I closed athered her as close as I could

Avery had accepted et her to see that I would do the same for her

Twenty-Four

"You don’t think that’s enough roses for today?" Ollie asked, nodding at the single-stelanced at the newest addition in the corner of the living roouys look bad"