Page 203 of Saving Her

“The shithe’spulling with my sister is lower. I can’t believe you all stood there and watched him manhandle her.”

Hunter gives a harder shove, pushing my brother into the living room. The barrage of abuse doesn’t end once they’re out of view. Sebastian keeps yelling. Keeps threatening.

The only thing that changes is the awkwardness settling around me. I stand before Sarah, her judgmental gaze fixed on me as Luca works his jaw from side to side.

“Can I get you anything?” I ask. “Ice maybe?”

“I’ll get some Advil.” Sarah turns on her heel and strides after her fiancé.

The air around me thickens. The weight of obligation to my sisters wages war with my remorse. These people don’t understand me.

They don’t see things the way I do.

They’ll never realize the intuition that comes from living around evil men and constant tragedy. Either that, or they simply don’t care about Abi. They don’t want to hear about her at all.

“You can stop staring at me. I’m fine.” Luca pushes from the wall and staggers toward our bedroom.

I follow like a chastised puppy, walking a few steps behind until I pass the threshold where he stands in wait.

He closes the door behind us, the sound of the clasping lock a definitive, isolating click.

“Is that necessary?” I whisper.

“You didn’t have to follow me in here.” He continues to the bed, his feet dragging as he turns to sit on the mattress.

“I’m sorry he hit you.”

“I don’t give a shit about that,” he mutters under his breath. “What I want to understand is why you’re throwing my brother under the bus.”

“That’s not what I’m doing. I only wanted everyone to know Abi didn’t kill herself. I want someone else to care; is that too much to ask?”

“What have I ever done to give you the impression I don’t fucking care?” he asks. “I care, Penny. About you. About Abi. About Tobias and your whole fucking posse. But there’s a way to have your voice heard and this isn’t it.”

The disappointment in his eyes is a staggering punishment. I hate it so much.

“I won’t apologize for what I said, Luc. I have all the evidence I need.”

His gaze narrows. “So you’re telling me you think my brother is responsible? You think Benji played a part?”

My throat tightens. “I don’t know.”

“Are you serious?” He jerks back. “You’re trying to pin Abi’s death on my brother?”

“No, I’m pinning it onRobert. I didn’t consider anything about your brother until Cole brought him up.”

“And still you continued with the accusations. You realize speculation like this can get Benji killed, right? The mere possibility of betrayal could be enough for Torian to end his life.”

I close my mouth. Swallow.

“Answer me.” He keeps his voice low. “Explain what the hell is going on in that mind of yours.”

“I don’t know.” I shake my head.

There’s too much noise. Too many voices. Some of them tell me I’m right—Abi didn’t kill herself. Robert is responsible. Others suffocate me, laying blame at my feet, telling me I’m wrong, wrong, wrong. “I can’t explain how I feel. All I know is that I’m certain Robert killed her.”

There’s more. So much more, but I don’t know how to tell him.

“You don’t get it. If Robert killed her, it means Benji is involved. Or he fucked up.” He shoves his hands into his hair. “You heard Torian. Nobody else knew where she was. Not one single person had any idea where those women were.”

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