Page 133 of When a Soul Cries

Sol nodded.

The air left my lungs.

My eyes moved toward the hallway where Halo was sleeping, then slowly returned to Sol.

“You got pregnant from…”

I couldn’t even finish the fucking sentence.

Sol didn’t make me.

Tears filled her eyes as she nodded again.

“I found out three weeks after I got to Crestmont.”

My stomach turned.

That explained why her aunt had looked at Halo and immediately assumed—

Jesus fucking Christ.

I dragged both hands over my face, fighting every emotion trying to come out at once. Rage. Hurt. Disbelief. The sick realization that the little girl sleeping peacefully down the hallway existed because of the worst thing that had ever happened to her mother.

But when I looked back at Sol, I saw the fear in her face.

Not fear that I would hurt her.

Fear that knowing the truth would make me look at Halo differently.

That shit broke my heart.

“Hey.” I leaned forward, keeping my voice soft. “Look at me.”

Sol hesitated before meeting my eyes.

“That doesn’t change a damn thing about how I see that baby.”

Her face crumbled.

“You hear me?”

She nodded, tears slipping down her cheeks.

“Halo is innocent,” I continued. “And so were you.”

Sol covered her mouth as another sob escaped.

I wanted to reach for her, but I stayed where I was and let her decide what she needed.

After a moment, she wiped her cheeks and drew in a shaky breath.

I didn’t ask anything else about Halo’s conception.

I didn’t need to.

She had told me enough.

“So you stayed in Crestmont.”