“I’m not going to let him touch us, Honeysuckle.” She turns her head, wrestling herself from my grip, her face falling into her hands as if she can’t bear to look at me. Reluctantly, I let her go. “Why did you let a decade go by? Why didn’t you come back when you were eighteen? Or just even call me? Send a text? Respond to my—?” She turns to face me, harsh devastation on her face. “Because losing you was my punishment, Leo.” “Punishment for what?”
