Page 97 of Karma

“Hey, it’s me,” he said, hoping his voice would calm her.

She blinked, and her dark eyes slowly focused on his face. “Dare.” She sounded relieved.

“Who else would it be?”

She crossed her arms, hugging herself tight. “No one. How’s Tess?” She pushed herself to a standing position.

Dare exhaled long and hard, wondering how to reply. “That’s not an easy question to answer.”

“Take your time.”

She placed a hand on his arm, but Dare barely felt her touch. Not even her soothing voice eased the ongoing turmoil inside him.

“Tess is okay, right?” she asked.

He inclined his head. “Yeah. She’s okay.”

“That’s good. Very good.” Liza smiled. “At least she didn’t have to have her stomach pumped. I remember that being the worst,” she said with a distinct shudder.

“What?” He realized he’d barely heard her. Something about being glad Tess hadn’t had to have her stomach pumped, he thought, and forced himself to pay attention.

“In a bad situation, Tess got lucky. I just remember when…never mind.” Liza shook her head, cutting off her thought.

But he’d focused, dammit, and now that she’d brought it up, Dare knew what she meant. She’d obviously been about to say she remembered when Brian had had his stomach pumped.

And with that thought, all the simmering anger he’d fought to control rose, ready to explode.

Unaware, Liza stroked his cheek, and he recoiled.

“Brian?” Dare asked incredulously. “You’re comparing Brian to Tess?” Dare bit out a harsh laugh. “Oh yeah, now that’s rich.”

“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. Youunderstand,” he spat, mimicking her words. “But the thing is, you don’t. You can’t. Because yourbrotherwillingly 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.

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