Cohe

speed. Demetri. Here. Now. All the humiliation from inside the club, the slap from Caron, the desperate beggi

id of any emotion. "I saw you lea

head snapped up, a surge of adrenaline pushing awa

her, Ms. Cohen, has managed to assault Leo aga

! That's not possib

s your 'good kid' has quite a temper. Perhaps if you weren't so busy

"How dare you? You have no idea what I've been through, what I've done for him." My voice rose, cracking w

l behavior. Your brother threatened my client's cousin. And he refuses t

x-maximum sentence?" My voice trembled. "Y

mask of stone. "Especially when repeated offenses are involved." He tu

t my throat. My voice was raspy, barely audible

"I trust evidence, Josie.

ne under the harsh glare of the streetlamp. The humiliation, the fresh wounds from Bennie'

My apartment, small and sparsely furnished, felt cold and empty. Bennie was

ones. My fingers found my phone, and I typed a quick message

ked open. Bennie slunk in,

ce tight with worry. "Demetri said you

k with a thud. "Nothing. Just tau

"Bennie, they're talking about juvenile d

laying the victim, just like always. You think I don't see it? You just want to

g. "I'm your sister! I'm all you have left! Mom a

u're the reason they're dead! You screamed at them, made them ups

me, tearing open old wounds. My breath caught

, then slammed his bedroom door shut. The sound echoed th

amed me for everything. My parents' deaths, our debt, our broken lives. Was

The only sound in the apartment was my own ragg

nie's door was ajar, his room empty. He was gone. Again. My phone buzzed. It was

her piece of my soul chipped away. But I had no choice. Bennie was o

oice from the TV in the communal lounge area. It was Claudia. Her face, impe

trauma I experienced at university, and now with my dear cousin Leo's tragic accident... I'm

cooed. "After all that Josie Cohen put her through,

ed in. "He's so loyal, so protective. Ima

pulator. "Brave?" I scoffed, unable to hold back. "She's a li

the TV, then back at me, their f

e tinged with skepticism. "After all the evidence, after what

one would ever believe me. Not when Claudia had sp

My heart hammered against my ribs. I pushed open the

d of the table, commanding the room