Page 105 of Capture My Heart

“Good.” Now her voice was clear and close. “Get up.”

A soft thud hit is chest. “Hey.”

Her attention cut to the booze and back to him. “Rough night?”

He grunted.

“Well, today’s a new day.”

She was chipper this morning. Way too chipper. She’d been a wreck when he’d told her about Adam’s death yesterday. He pulled the pillow from his face and studied hers. “What’s going on with you? Why are you so happy?”

“Life’s too short to be sad. Besides, I was a blubbering mess yesterday and I need to stop crying. Look…” She pointed to her eyes. “They’re bloodshot. I don’t look good in red.”

“Are you on something?” Crap, he didn’t mean to ask that out loud.

“No.” She recoiled from him. “How can you ask that?”

“Because I’m your brother and a cop. I care.”

“Well, I’m not. Come on, get up. I’ll start the coffee.” She bounced out of the room.

But this time, he could see the crack in her façade. The bubbly carefree act was the only way she was keeping it together.

Trey rubbed his grainy eyes. One shot last night quickly turned in to four. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d done that.

He slipped on his T-shirt and athletic shorts and followed the smell of fresh coffee.

His sister stood at the counter, mugs in hand, staring out his window. He stepped up behind her. Across the street was a young couple, teenagers, holding hands.

Brie’s shoulders started to shake. He cupped them and squeezed.

Her hands dropped to her sides and turned to him. He brushed her hair from his chin and pulled her close. “Honey, let it out.”

Her head shook from side to side. When she finally spoke, her voice cracked. “He loved the drugs more than me.”

Trey rubbed circles on her back.

She hiccuped. “I know it was over but why? Why did he have to die?”

He could tell her it was because of the bad choices he made or the bad people in this world, but he wouldn’t. “I don’t know. But I’m sorry.”

Her warm tears soaked through his shirt, burning a hole in his heart. He wanted to take her pain and heartache away, but he couldn’t. Hell, he couldn’t even take away his own.

She sniffled a few times them pulled back. “Thanks.”

Brie filled the mugs and carried them to the table. “I didn’t even ask, how is Amy?”

Trey’s chest tightened. “She’ll be okay.”

Coffee halfway to her lips, she stopped. “Uh oh. What happened?”

“You mean other than her almost dying in an explosion? Not much.”

“Bullshit. You two were perfect for each other. I half expected you to be at the hospital this morning instead of in bed with a bottle of Cuervo.”

He shrugged. “You know how it is: cops don’t make the best relationships.”

“I know no such thing. Mom and Dad have a fantastic relationship.”