"This cannot end like this!" Ethan roared, his voice laced with the cold fury he hadn't felt since he killed Jason. "I regret not being here to help you." He stared intensely at Lilly. "Why didn't you tell me? We've been talking these past few days."
Lilly apologized, shame and fear mixing on her face. "I didn't want to involve you in the pizzeria's problems, Ethan. Dad told me not to say anything to you, that he would solve it."
Ethan's frustration over their predicament and their lack of trust exploded. He stopped hugging her and stepped back, his body rigid. "If you don't see me as a member of your family, then there's no need for me to be here."
His mind was absolute chaos. The day had been a whirlwind: the revelation of his perversion, the vengeful fury, the brutal sex, the anguish over his sister. Now, the people he genuinely cared for were hurt, and he felt shut out. His mental state was an explosive blend of emotions about to rupture.
