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Costas… God.
He looked rough.
No longer the beautiful man he’d once been.
Unbeknownst to us, he’d been housed with a few rival gang members who thought it would be the perfect street cred to take out the leader of another gang.
He’d suffered
He’d suffered badly.
He was now sporting a brand new scar down the middle of his face. It went from eyebrow to chin, and was definitely going to be a gnarly scar when it healed all the way.
Quinn had told me about it when it happened, but I hadn’t realized how bad it actually was.
Again, my belly clenched.
Garnett, who’d been one of the Carters to come with me, caught my hand and squeezed.
Ande, who technically wasn’t a Carter anymore, took my other hand.
Gable crossed his arms over his chest and extended his feet on the other side of me, there not only to help support me, but also because he’d eventually have to testify.
My brother’s gaze swung around the courtroom, and it landed on me.
His shoulders slumped when he saw me there.
As much as I’d tried to get in to see him over the last couple of months, he’d refused any and all visits from me.
It’d hurt, but I’d understood.
He walked over to me and gestured with his head to come closer.
I got up and moved, my hands going out to reach for him before I thought better of it and dropped them.
“Hey,” he said softly, his eyes going to the room behind him. “I have a favor to ask you.”
I leaned in close and listened to what he had to say.
When I fell backwards a step, my hand over my chest, I stared at him in shock. “What the hell, Costas? How?”
He swallowed hard. “I didn’t know. Not until a few days ago. I didn’t know.”
The devastation in his face… it nearly sent me to my knees.
Tears welled in my eyes for my poor brother. “I don’t even know what to say.”
“Say you’ll do it. Say you’ll fight for them,” he pleaded.
The look on my brother’s face, so devastated and so broken at the same time… How could I say no?
“I will,” I promised. “I totally will.”
The trial was brutal.
He didn’t deny a single charge that was set upon him.
When the day ended, and I was finally free to talk to Quinn, who’d showed up hours and hours later, I was numb.
