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Haven’s heart thumped hard in her chest as Carmine snapped "You’re stupid if you think I’d justhappened to her"

"I know you think that--"

Cars! Stop treating me like a child!"

Dr DeMarco slarow up! I kno you’re feeling, because I felt the sae! I knohat you’d risk for her, but I can’t let you I have to at least try for yourto do with this"

"Yourto do with it! She loved her!"

Car right back to his father Histo force the but silence

"Your mother was too naïve," Dr DeMarco continued, his voice soot hurt, but she’d be wrong Soet hurt I just hope it’s neither of you"

The tension returned after the turn in conversation Carmine’s voice shook when he spoke "Who did it?"

"Who did what?" Dr DeMarco asked, not bothering to look up fro the air here I wanna knoho shot me"

"Their names don’t matter"

"Then why did they do it?" he asked "The least you can do is tell me what caused it all"

"There’s no point, Carive ht to knohose fault it is"

"I don’t know"

"What the fuck do you mean you don’t know?"

"I mean I don’t knoho to blame!" Dr DeMarco said "Your mother--God, I loved your s she knew she shouldn’t have done"

"What things?" Carmine asked "Why did she do the? She wanted to help"

"Help who?"

"It doesn’t matter, Carmine"

"Yes, it does," he said "I wanna knoas so i for theer frightened Haven Dr DeMarco stared at his son, his expression blank but gaze intense Cared expression softened as his brow furrowed, and he broke eye contact Dropping his head down, he ran both hands through his hair and blinked a few times

"You’re too much like your mother, Carmine," Dr DeMarco said quietly "I can’t let history repeat itself Not any his napkin down on the table and bolting fro to be excused

"Is this sit-down adjourned?" Dr DeMarco asked "I’d hate to walk out in the middle of it"

"Yeah, it’s over," Dominic said "It was a failure, anyway"

Dr DeMarco stood, patting his son on the back "We’re walking away from it with our lives intact We’re not always that lucky in real sit-downs"

A flood of eh Carmine as he locked hi Gratitude Anger Re his hair so hard his scalp throbbed A ton of weight pressed against his chest, crushing him with the force of the truth

It was Haven She was the reason his life had been shattered

He tossed things around, trying to release sohts convoluted as he shifted bla was supposed to be easy for hi complicated?

He snatched the picture fraraph of his lass Tears of resent seemed different

He threw the fra on his muddled reflection in the mirror His bloodshot, sorrowful eyes reminded hi on to snapped

His fist connected with theas he pounded on it in a rage, not slowing down until it was obliterated, his reflection gone froain as he slid down to the floor, drawing his knees up to his chest His anger gave way to despair as the tears started to fall He surrendered to it, not having the willpower to fight anyuish took over as he put his head down He let himself slip under andin the misery of what he’d lost

Darkness cloaked the bathroolass crunching under his shoes The cuts on his hand stung as he washed away the blood

Grabbing a bottle of vodka froht on in his father’s office He didn’t bother to knock before stepping inside, kicking the door closed behind hi down in the leather chair, Carmine took a drink of the liquor

"I never wanted to tell you," Vincent said "I thought it would be cruel Your mother asked o So I told her to drop it, but she didn’t She couldn’t I realized what she was doing too late I was too late"

It all hit Carmine hard, and he blinked rapidly to ward off the tears "Did she figure out the secret? Is that why they killed her?"

"She was on the right track, had even hired a private investigator, but I don’t think she had enough tih It was only a matter of time"