Page 49 of Did They Break You

I tense with Dad’s words, guilt coursing through me as I think of Remi’s cuts.Of my brother.

“It’s okay if you can’t,” Tristan says quietly, stifling a yawn with the back of his pale hand. “I’m tired anyway.”

I hear my dad laugh but there’s a nervous edge threaded through it. “Buddy, you slept all day.”

My heart sinks but I flash my brother a smile, cradling the phone in my hand like it’s fucking precious. “You going to your appointment next week?” I ask him quietly.

If Remi had sent me to prison, who would look out for him?

He doesn’t answer at first, and the background blurs around him. He’s walking away from Dad, down the narrow hall of the small house he rented for them to get away from Mom. It’s just a separation, and I don’t know if my dad will hold out. I’m not convinced he’ll do what it takes to get custody, and file for a divorce from Mom.

But it’s a step.

“Yeah,” he finally says, sinking down onto his bed. “I’m going.” He flops onto his back, holding the screen up so I can take him in. His white T-shirt, the shadows beneath his eyes. “I don’t wanna go but…” He shrugs, glancing away from the screen for a second. “Guess I will.”

My brows draw together, and even though it’s hard, I offer him what I can. “I’m going too, to an appointment. Next Thursday, actually. Probably around the same time as you.”

He blinks. “Really?” he asks, a slight smile kicking up at the corners of his lips. He’s just thirteen, and his voice breaks with the question which makes us both laugh.

“Really,” I assure him. “I’ll call you after? We can discuss how it went?”

He grins, and it seems real. “Yeah,” he finally says, nodding. “Call me after.”

“All right, buddy. I’ll talk to you tomorrow, too.”

“Bye, Cort.” He ends the call first, disappearing from the screen. I drop my phone on my bed and run my hand over my hair. He didn’t even ask why I was going to therapy. I’m sure he knows.

But I think of those cuts on her wrist and wonder just how muchIdon’t know.

CHAPTER

THIRTEEN

CORTLAND

“Jesus, this is a wreck,”I tell Storm at my side, darting my eyes around the foyer, down the hall and up the stairs of the frat house. People line the stairwell, making out, getting high and double-fisting red plastic cups.

The music is loud as hell in here, and the lights are dim, the scent of marijuana heady as we step inside.

There are easily fifty people here, and someone tries to jostles me and Storm out of the way.

I turn around, staring into the eyes of a kid who looks like he might piss his pants now that he’s realized he bumped into me. He has to crane his neck back to see me and he says, “Sorry, man, sorry.”

I ignore him, shaking my head.

“You played well last weekend,” he continues, sounding a little nervous.

“Thanks,” I mutter under my breath. Yeah. I know I did. Mom does, too, because she’s the only one in my family who came to the game. Dad and Tristan don’t want to be anywhere near her.

Poison.She’s fuckingpoison.

My fingers curl into fists and I have the sudden urge to dig my nails into my forearm, but I bite my tongue and resist as the kid scurries off.

“God, I miss that,” Storm says at my side, his tone laced with amusement. “Little fan boys drooling over my nuts because I could hold a ball.”

“Thanks to me, you didn’t have to hold it too often,” I shoot back, scrubbing a hand over my jaw. “Let’s get a drink.” I nod toward the hall and Storm heads that way.

I follow, eyes on his black hoodie as he nudges people aside while we prowl through the house. A few more people dart glances my way, throwing up their hands. I don’t know anyone at EU aside from Maya and the team, but people sure as fuck want to act like they know me.

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