Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 94512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
“No. I mean, yes. I was just trying to find a silver lining or say how I understood. I didn’t mean to imply—”
“I don’t want to hear your explanations,” he bit out.
Her eyes opened wide, and she took one step away from him and then another.
But her distance didn’t stop him. “You think you understand what I’m going through because your good-for-nothing alcoholic brother has been brought in here too?” he asked, knowing his voice was rising but unable to shut up.
“Dare.” Ethan barked out his name. A warning to stop while he could. Before it was too late.
And though Dare knew he wasn’t being rational, the anger since seeing Tess had been building, and Liza’s words served as a release valve. He was caught somewhere between the past and that room where his fifteen-year-old sister had nearly died. He remembered her birthday party back in January. A heavy weight pressed down on his chest. Guilt for the kid who’d died when Dare had been there and done nothing filled him with anger and the stark fear for Tess.
“Dare, I…” Liza opened her mouth, then closed it again.
“I know. You understand,” he spat, mimicking her words. “But the thing is, you don’t. You can’t. Because your brother willingly guzzles alcohol like it’s water and then destroys everyone and everything around him while you not only watch but help. Tess, on the other hand, is a victim. An underage innocent victim. Something your bastard of a brother will never be.”
“You’re the bastard,” she said, her eyes wide, her face drawn and pale, as words he could barely believe he was saying spewed out of him.
“Dare, shut the hell up now.” Ethan grabbed his shoulder and shook him hard.
Dare closed his eyes and drew in a steadying breath. By the time he opened them, Liza had grabbed her bag from the floor.
He glanced around and saw his entire family staring at him in disbelief, like they didn’t know him at all.
Hell, he barely knew himself.
He jerked his gaze back to Liza, who’d completely withdrawn into herself. He hadn’t seen that lost, pained look in her eyes before, and it scared him.
Jesus, what had he just done? “Liza—” He reached for her hand, grasping her wrist.
She flinched and pulled away. “Don’t touch me.” Shaking, she glanced at the door. “I need to go.”
“Not alone.” The protective words came automatically.
She narrowed her gaze. “Well, you sure as hell don’t think I’m going anywhere with you.”
Dare winced, the damage he’d caused just now settling over him.
Nash strode over to Cara and whispered something in her ear. She nodded and stepped forward, pushing herself off the wall. “I’ll go with you and stay the night.” Cara’s blue eyes flashed as she shot a scathing glare Dare’s way.
Liza swallowed hard. “Thank you. After today, I’m not going to deny myself protection,” she muttered.
Dare shook his head, wondering what she meant by that. And stunned at how he’d just sent his life crashing down around him. Why the hell had he just blasted the one person he knew damned well would never hurt him?
Liza bolted through the exit doors with Cara right behind her, leaving Dare in a room full of silent family members who stared at him in disbelief.
Shaking, he lowered himself into a chair, needing a minute.
Nash stalked over and yanked a chair up, settling in beside him. “Care to explain?”
Dare rubbed a hand over his face. “It wasn’t…I didn’t mean…”
“Try again,” Nash said. “Because what you just did made her brother look like a saint.” Disgust echoed in his tone.
Not that Dare blamed him. “Fuck. I don’t know. I found Tess on the bed, and all I could see was Stuart Rossman lying on the ground.” He lowered his head. “Then Liza said how at least she didn’t have her stomach pumped because she remembers that part being the worst. The only way she could know that was her damned brother, and something inside me snapped.”
“It sure as hell did,” Ethan muttered.
Dare looked up.
Kelly and Faith stared at him, disappointment radiating from them in cold waves.
“I need to go see her.” Dare stood.
Kelly stepped into his personal space before he could move. “You’re not going anywhere near her tonight.”
Dare raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”
“Even before that display, she knew how you felt about her. She knew you didn’t plan on sticking around any longer than she needed your protection. She has Cara now, so do Liza a favor and leave her alone.” Kelly folded her arms across her chest, her face hard and unforgiving.
“I never told her that.” Hell, he’d never thought that. He’d needed space, but…
“You didn’t have to say a word. She told me that Brian was a living, breathing reminder of your past—and, by extension, so was she. And since nobody in her life ever stuck around—her words—she didn’t expect you to be any different.” Kelly’s tone told Dare exactly what she thought of him at the moment.