Page 87 of Justice II

“How heated?”

She rubbed her thumb along the edge of her phone.

“He has a lot going on. The business, the move. Everything falls on him.”

“And he takes it out on you?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t have to.”

She shifted in the seat and pulled her bag higher against her stomach.

“I say things I shouldn’t say, too. You know how I get when I’m mad.”

I stared at her.

“So he hits you because you get smart with him?”

“Stop making it sound like that,” she snapped.

“How would you like me to make it sound?”

She didn’t answer.

I had come here prepared to be angry. I hadn’t prepared myself to hear my sister making excuses.

I wanted to shake her. I wanted to remind her of the conversations we’d had when I was still trying to get away from him. She had listened to me cry about that man. Sometimes she had cried with me.

Now she was sitting in my car defending him.

“You need help, Aria.”

“I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not. You have a baby coming, and you’re telling me you have to watch your mouth so your husband won’t put his hands on you.”

“He’s excited about the baby,” she said, trying to cope.

“He was excited about mine, too.”

She finally looked at me.

I held her gaze until she turned away.

“I’m trying to talk to you before it gets worse,” I said. “We can stop this. You don’t have to stay with him.”

“Just leave? That’s your answer?”

“Yes.”

“And go where, Melody?” she questioned.

“I can help you figure that out.”

“With what?” She looked me up and down. I was still driving that old Camry and my clothes were plain and drab. I hadn’t used Justice’s card to go shopping yet. This was more important.

The question stung, but I kept my voice even.