Page 25 of You Can Run

Jessica felt the word hit somewhere beneath anger, in the place where she'd been holding together since the crawl space. Since the dark and the weight of the gun in her hands and the absolute certainty that she was alone.

Julian pushed off the counter. “You two can have this argument somewhere else. Preferably not in my kitchen.”

Jessica slid off the stool. “Thank you,” she said to Julian.

“Try not to make the same mistakes twice,” he said. His eyes moved to Dante as he said it, and Jessica couldn't tell which of them he meant it for.

They moved toward the front door. Outside, the air was already growing hot. The 'Cuda waited in the driveway.

Dante opened the door for her and she got in without arguing.

“Dante.”

Santiago's voice carried from the porch.

Dante closed his eyes for half a second. Then he stepped back from the car. “I'll be a minute,” he muttered, not looking at Jessica, already turning. He walked back up the path, the gravel shifting under his boots.

Santiago hadn't moved. Julian stood just inside the doorway, one hand resting on the frame.

For a moment, neither brother spoke.

“Please don’t do this,” Santiago said finally. “Please don’t leave with her.”

Dante's gaze drifted past him, into the house.

“I built something here,” Santiago went on. “I made it out. You made sure I could.” His voice caught slightly. “Don't throw yourself back into it like none of that mattered.”

Dante's jaw flexed. “Of course it fucking mattered. That's why I'm standing here talking to you right now instead of already driving halfway down the road.”

“Then stay,” Santiago said.

The word hung between them, simple and impossible.

Dante looked at him then, taking in his brother's face. Santiago was still a young man, but there was a weariness around his eyes that made him look years older, and Dante knew he'd put it there, one way or another, long before tonight.

“I can't,” he said.

“Because of her?”

“Yeah.”

Santiago let out a short breath. “Thirteen years. And it's still her.”

“It was always her.”

There wasn't any anger in Dante's voice when he said it. Just fact.

“You still think you can save her.”

“No. But I think I can keep her alive.”

Santiago studied him for a long moment, like he was searching for some version of his brother who would choose differently. He didn't find one.

“And you're not going to come back,” Santiago said. It wasn't a question.

Dante felt something tighten in his chest, but he kept his voice steady. “I don't know what's gonna happen.”

Santiago just nodded once.