Page 100 of A Hurt So Good

“You’re right. It won’t be the same, but he is coming back. He’s not going to be gone forever. We just need to handle this, and everything will go back to normal,” I tell her. I know this is hard for her. It’s hard for all of us. We don’t want to lose our brother for a year either, but this is what needs to be done. She has to understand we’d do just about anything to keep her safe.

“A year?” she asks, looking between us.

“Only a year,” I tell her. Before any of us can speak, Arya slams into War’s arms and holds onto him as she sobs. She isn’t a crier; that much we know about her, but this is hitting her hard, just like the rest of us.

She clings to him as Harlon, and I share a look. She’s going to need a little time to adjust to the idea of this, and I know she’s going to want to spend time with War before it all goes down.

Harlon and I decide to leave them alone and walk toward the rooms when Sasha sticks her head out.

“What are you doing?” she asks, looking me up and down.

“We need to talk,” I tell her. She doesn’t know either, and now is the time to fill her in since Arya already knows.

“What happened?”

“Let’s go inside,” Harlon says, nodding toward the room. Sasha steps back so that we can go in, and we all sit on the bed.

“What’s going on?” she asks, looking between the two of us.

“Arya’s dad is the one trying to have her killed. You know that much, but what you didn’t know was he’s going to be up for parole.”

“Oh fuck that! Nope. They can’t let him out,” she snaps.

“That’s the thing. We have heard he will more than likely get out, and we can’t let that happen.”

“So what do we do?” she asks.

“We have a plan. Not one you’re going to like, but we still have a plan,” I tell her. “War is going to prison.”

“No! Hell no! That’s your fucking plan? Do you know what could happen to him in there?”

“We know, Sasha. We’ve gone over it many times. We’ve talked about it, and he’s not backing down on this. It was his idea to begin with.”

“You can’t let him do that. Tell him no, Denz.”

“It’s not that easy, and you know it. When War wants something, he goes after it,” Harlon adds.

“And you two are just going to sit back and let it happen?”

“We have no other choice.”

“So he’s going to what? Get sent to prison and kill her dad?” Harlon nods his head now.

“Does Arya know?”

“She just found out. She’s going to need you now, Sasha,” Har tells her.

“You know I’m here for her, but this is fucked. I don’t want to lose him either,” she says, her tone calming slightly.

“It’s a year. One year,” I tell her.

“A whole fucking year?”

“Yeah. Time will fly by, I promise.” She shakes her head, not believing a word I say to her. I know this isn’t ideal, but once Warren has something in his head, he isn’t going to let it go, and this is his plan.

“I don’t know what to say,” she says.

“There’s nothing to say. Spend time with him while he’s here, and that’s that.”

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