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I peer down at her and see the deter I wish I could, too

“Don’t you get it yet? We’re powerless against the on contact”

“I refuse to believe that We’ve let theh power over us”

I shake my head There was a time when I’d believe her, but now I’ hurts Every day I go to sleep, I wake up to a nightone Then it all cooing to explode

“Quinn, I’m not a wholeback”

“Maybe not, but there are pieces of him that still exist under the surface I can see therips et you in the shower because you stink and I won’t even try to guess how h your veins This’ll help sober you up”

I swat her hands away “I don’t want to be sober This is the only way I can function Through a fucking haze Because what I feel is a never-ending wave of pain, guilt, and re all at the sa end of that?”

She shakes her head as the tears strea inside of me not to bite her head off

“I-I aainst entleness breaks the wall I’ve built up inside of me

Wrapping ht “Roland’s dead and I’ain” The words spill forth, and I can’t stop the to do withoutto do great things Now I’ll never see any of it He was the best thing I ever did in ainst her, and we sink to the ground together

I purge until there’s nothing left My stomach rolls, and I pull away and dash to the bathrooel I don’t deserve with a cool washcloth on the back of my neck I flush the toilet, and she wipes h her eyes I’m a pitiful excuse for a man I couldn’t even keep my family safe Family As she strips me down, I realize I count her as that So I let her scrape et ently as she washesto her I failed Rolly I can’t do the same with her, too I can’t walk away until this is all said and done and she’s safe I cling to the mission

She sheds her clothes, adds more hot water, and lays on my chest The skin to skin contact s will be okay

I ROLL HER ONTO HER back and pull her onto entle She presses her pal into my crotch

“Are you okay to do this?” I ask shakily

“I guess so, ’cause we’re going to It’s the last chance we’ll have before we have peruests” She wraps her arms around my neck, and toys with the hair atin my brain I pull her close and run es I helped her change We’ve reversed our roles Now I’m the mental wreck, and she’s the wounded one in need of care I e her neck and flinch as she reaches down and pal my cock