Page 129 of When a Soul Cries

“I’m not gonna sit here and act like I handled that perfectly. I didn’t. But all Darius gave me was basic background. Pinehaven. Your parents being gone. Your aunt. No father listed for the baby. He didn’t give me *this*.”

Sol looked away.

“And I don’t want this from Darius,” I continued. “If I’m gonna know it, I want to hear what you’re willing to tell me.”

Her jaw moved as she swallowed.

“She raised me after my parents died.”

The anger disappeared from her voice.

In its place was something that sounded much younger.

“She was all I had.”

Her fingers began moving again.

Back and forth.

“She wasn’t perfect, but she was my family. So when Mack…”

Her voice stopped.

I watched her throat move.

Her eyes went toward the hallway.

Toward Halo.

Then back to her hands.

“When Mack what?” I asked softly.

Sol’s breathing became shallow.

I immediately regretted asking.

“You don’t have to—”

“He hurt me.”

My entire body went still.

She still wouldn’t look at me.

“He was my aunt’s boyfriend.” Her voice was barely above a whisper now. “And he started doing things that made me uncomfortable. Watching me. Finding reasons to be around me when she wasn’t.”

My jaw tightened.

Sol saw it.

Her words stopped.

I forced my shoulders to relax.

“Keep going,” I said gently. “I’m listening.”

Her eyes filled.