Page 142 of Brighter Together

Tommy rubs both hands over his face.

“Fuck.”

He turns away.

I sit there waiting.

There is nothing I can say that will make this better.

Then he looks back at me.

His gaze drops to my neck.

His entire body goes still.

“What happened to your neck?”

I instinctively lift a hand.

“Nothing.”

“Ella.”

My fingers cover the skin.

“It doesn’t matter,” I say.

“It absolutely matters.”

His voice has changed completely.

The hurt is still there, but something sharper has cut through it.

He crosses the room.

“Move your hand.”

I hesitate.

“Please,” he asks quietly.

I lower it.

Tommy’s face hardens.

The marks must already be visible.

“Those weren’t there last night.”

I say nothing.

“Did Lee do that?”

My silence answers for me.

Tommy swears under his breath and turns towards the door.

I jump up and grab his arm.