Page 275 of Tis the Season to be Bullied

Case closed—literally. There’s no bringing her back. There will never be justice for the man who fucked and sodomized her with a soda bottle.

No justice for Mom.

No justice for Jess.

No.

Wait.

Icando something about Jess. But only if I keep my motherfucking head on straight.

And God, that seems easy as finding unicorn poop right now.

“Indi.”

I must have zoned out—Briar’s right against me again and I didn’t even see him moving.

“I meant what I said,” he murmurs. “Give your pain to me, and I’ll take it. Every bit of it.”

I stare up at him, transfixed by the play of light in his cerulean eyes. Does he even know how beautiful he is, when he’s not scowling or being a massive fucking prick?

“How?” I put my hands on his chest and lean in. “Why?”

“I have experience,” he says. His eyes dart all over my face. This time, it doesn’t feel like he’s scanning me. Instead, it’s as if he’s searching for something.

“With what? Pain?” The words come out before I can stop them; hot and bitter to boot.

But he doesn’t even flinch, he just nods his head. When his eyes lock with mine, something ephemeral flows through me.

Understanding.

Compassion.

Maybe even sympathy.

“My mother died in a car accident when I was thirteen.”

My lips part. I want to say I’m sorry, but I know it would be hollow words. I shake my head. “That must have been…”

“Not even close to someone murdering her.”

I’m dimly aware that there’s no space between us. That his breath washes over my face every time he speaks. That his hip bones, his fading erection, are digging into my belly.

But I can’t move.

I’m frozen.

He’s right. A car accident—random chance.

Murder? Brutal torture and rape? Nothing random about it.

“Now…Is there something you want to ask me?”

My eyes fly back to Briar. My stomach twists, shooting sour bile up my throat.

Of course I do. More than anything. I swallow. It takes everything I have, but I eventually gather enough courage to ask.

“Did you…” I haul in a breath, but Briar waits, patient as the motherfucking grave.

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