I Sent Him to Prison, Now I'm Falling for His Brother novel · Chapter 6 of 24

Chapter 6: The Brother

I got out of Brinley's arms and walked off that stage without answering her.

Nobody stopped me this time.

Four hundred people parted for me in the aisle, and nobody said a word.

I pushed through the double doors into the cold hotel lobby and kept walking until I found the revolving door.

Outside, it was raining.

A valet looked at me and looked away.

I stood under the awning with my arms wrapped around myself and shook.

I had not shaken on the stage.

I was shaking now.

"You'll catch cold."

I turned around.

Darius Stafford stood two steps behind me with his tuxedo jacket in his hand.

He held it out.

"No," I said.

"It's a jacket."

"It's a Stafford jacket."

He looked at it, and then he put it over his arm without arguing.

"Fair," he said.

The rain came down harder.

He stood beside me, not touching me, and looked out at the parking lot.

"I read your trial transcript last week," he said.

I did not turn my head.

"My mother left a copy in the study. It was in a folder marked *Luka, Appeal.* I assumed it was the usual, her version. I read it on the plane home and I couldn't put it down."

"And?"

"And I've been away for nine years, and in nine years I never asked her once what my brother actually did."

His voice did not shake.

"She sent me his letters. She sent me clippings. I sent money and kept my phone off. I did not go to his sentencing. I did not visit him. I did not look up the case."

"That's very honest of you."

"It's the only thing I have."

I turned and looked at him then.

Up close his eyes were gray and tired.

He had a small scar through his left eyebrow.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because tonight, you walked up there alone," he said. "And my mother's men put their hands on you in front of four hundred people, and I hesitated before I stepped in."

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