[Dawn]
I shake my head in amazement, my voice barely a whisper as the weight of everything settles in. “The people you hang out with.”
His smile is mild again, a faint, almost absent curve of his lips. But it doesn’t reach his eyes.
“What the hell were you thinking?” My voice cracks, the frustration bubbling beneath my skin. I can feel the anger rising in me, sharp and tight in my chest.
He doesn’t meet my gaze, his eyes flitting to the floor, away from me. “I wasn’t exactly doing much of that.” His words come out dry, flat, like he's numbed himself to the situation. The tension in the air hangs heavy between us.
“Why didn’t you just ask for help? Why didn’t you come to Aldo and me? Luca even? I’m sure he could’ve helped.” My voice is laced with disbelief, tinged with a touch of betra
