Thoughts swam through my head, none of which I could express beyond heartsick sorrow at what she’d endured. A lifetime ago, I’d blamed her for being shallow and fickle, for not caring about me in the way she’d pretended she did. I’d been so wrong. She’d given it all up for me and my mother. And the woman had stolen my ability to tell her so. Fucking hell did I need to punish her. For doing this. For existing. For being the single source of my lifeblood, my heartache, and my love. When the drug that held me in its grip released me, I’d show Everly exactly what her revelations meant.
