Page 61 of North

Dad exhaled, rubbing his temple like I was the one giving him a headache. “You wouldn’t have understood. You were too young.”

I let out a hollow laugh, shaking my head. “That’s bullshit.”

His expression darkened. “Watch your tone.”

I took a step closer. “You didn’t tell us because you didn’t want us to see you for what you really are.” My voice was shaking now, but I didn’t stop. “A liar. A coward.”

His silence was deafening.

Lauren returned, her eyes sharp as she shot me a glare. I ignored it, just like I ignored her softly putting a hand on his arm. Dad wasn’t paying any attention either, his eyes were on me, his gaze sharp, assessing.

But I didn’t care.

I turned away before I could say something I couldn’t take back, walking past Quinn’s door without a word, without looking inside to make sure she wasn’t breaking down more. Because if I did—if I saw the way she kept looking at me like I was a fucking idiot—I wasn’t sure I’d be able to handle it.

For the first time in my life, I had no idea who the hell I was anymore.

Chapter 22

Quinn

I sat on my bed, staring at the half-packed suitcase in front of me. I didn’t know what I was doing. The room felt too big, too empty like it wasn’t mine anymore. Maybe it never really had been.

I had packed my bag on instinct, but now that it was sitting there, staring back at me like an unanswered question, I didn’t know what the hell I was supposed to do.

Where was I even going to go?

Evie had invited me to stay with her, but the thought of leaving this house—of stepping out into the world after everything that had happened—made my stomach twist.

I didn’t want to stay, but I didn’t want to leave either. I just wanted to exist somewhere in between, somewhere no one could see me, where the weight of everything wouldn’t crush me whole.

A door slammed downstairs, and my pulse jumped. Evie.

By the look on her face when she stormed up the stairs, she’d been serious. She was leaving.

Something inside me lurched, and before I could stop myself, I was moving. My legs carried me out of the room, down the hall, down the stairs. I wasn’t sure why, but I knew—knew—that if I let her walk out that door without saying anything, I would regret it.

I stepped into the living room just in time to see her near the front door, her suitcase in hand.

Mom stood nearby, her face pinched with something that looked like worry, like sadness. But she didn’t say anything as she moved to the couch where Mark was sitting. He had his elbows resting on his knees, his head hanging low, and she rubbed circles on his back to comfort him.

It seemed a bit pathetic if I was being honest. Why the hell did he need comfort and not the rest of us? Then again, it wasn’t like she was getting any Mother of the Year awards anyway.

I heard North’s footsteps as he joined me near the wall, and my heart pitter-pattered pathetically when he stayed. I could feel his gaze on me as he leaned back, his arms crossed over his chest.

I didn’t dare look at him.

My focus was on Evie as she stormed back inside, her face red and tearful. She paused when I called her name and turned to face me.. God, she looked terrible. Maybe even more than me right then. Her face was tired, her eyes red-rimmed, but there was a determination there—a resolve that hadn’t been there before.

I swallowed. “You’re really going?”

She nodded, shifting the weight of her bag. “Yeah. I can’t stay here.”

I didn’t know what I had expected her to say, but the finality in her tone still made something tighten in my chest.

“Are you coming?” she asked.

The words sent a shock through me. Was I?

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