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I keep my gaze fixed on the floor when I answer, “Yeah.”
He pinches my chin and forces me to lift my head until our gazes meet. “You didn’t kill Mom and Dad.”
“But—”
“Nope. No buts about it. Mom and Dad drove to the pharmacy because their daughter was sick and they wanted her to feel better. Don’t you know Mom and Dad would have done anything for you? They loved you more than anything in the world.”
“Except you,” I butt in to say.
“Yeah, but let’s face it, you can’t compete with me.”
“But they wouldn’t have been out in the storm if it weren’t for me.”
His hold on my chin tightens. “Did you cause the rain? Did you cause the sleet? Did you cause the man driving his truck to not have his brakes checked? Did you force him to speed through a red light?”
I bite my tongue.
“Well? Did you?”
“No.”
“Then, I think it’s safe to assume you didn’t kill Mom and Dad. Do you understand me?”
I shrug. Maybe?
“I’m sorry.”
I rear back and his hand drops from my face. “You? What are you sorry for?”
“I’m sorry you’ve been carrying this guilt around for years and I didn’t know. I failed you.”
I wag my finger at him. “Oh, no, you don’t. You don’t get to make this about you. This is my fucked up problem.”
He smiles but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “I should have paid more attention to you. I should have realized there was a reason you flirted from one-night stand to another. Always refusing to settle down.”
“Okay, fine. Enough with the guilt trip. I should have talked to you about this sooner. Are we done now?”
He pulls me into his arms and squeezes.
“Can’t breathe.”
“Good. Now you understand how I feel when one of you girls is suffering.”
His arms relax and I cuddle into his hold. “Thanks, big bro.”
“Anytime, little sis. Anytime.”
I don’t know if I believe him when he says I didn’t kill our parents, but at least he’s not kicking me out of the family for what I did.
Chapter 31
Never answer your door if you’re trying to avoid people ~ Cedar’s rules for living the life of a wanderer
Cedar
Igrunt when I hear banging on my door. Freaking Rowan. I knew he wouldn’t leave this alone. But when I open the door, it’s not my brother standing there.
“Mom. Dad. What are you doing here?”
