Shattered by Sarah M. Cradit

Author:Sarah M. Cradit [Cradit, Sarah M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sarah M. Cradit

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Jon heard Finn before he saw him. The yelling from next door carried through the cold, still air, a reverberating reminder of Jon’s sins. Finn pleaded with Ana to open her door, to talk, but his continued entreaties went unanswered. As Jon listened, his mouth throbbed with the pain of Ana’s terrified bite. It would remind him of his actions for weeks to come.

An hour or so later, Jon heard the back screen door slam. There was nothing Jon could say to his brother that would be adequate, and so instead he remained standing before the Christmas tree, staring at the now garish lights taunting him with irreverent blinks. The unopened presents beneath told of a happiness and togetherness that now seemed so far away.

“I know what you did,” Finn accused. He stood, red-faced and dripping of fresh snow.

“Finn—”

“I know what you did, Jon!” Finn’s voice boomed, as melting snow flew off him in shudders. “What I don’t know is why!”

Jon was silent for a long time. “I don’t know, either,” he replied.

Finn snorted in derision.

Jon’s love for Finn, and hatred for Ana, burned with an even heat. But he understood he would have to dull his hatred for her to feed his love for his brother. He owed Finn the truth, even if it meant Jon would suffer further.

He took a deep breath, and let the words flow before he changed his mind. “I wanted to punish her for being able to forget that night so easily, when it’s all I can think about. I wanted her to know that same rejection when things didn’t work out between the two of you. I wanted to…” Jon choked on these last words, “Ruin her for you.”

“Ruin her?” Finn repeated, as the words settled over him, slowly.

“I didn’t realize how much you cared for her,” Jon said, tripping over his apology. The anxiety built within him, slowly, but enough to remind him how close he was to losing control again. “I thought she’d just leave, and we could go back to how things were. That it would be like she never came here to begin with. God, Finn, I never meant to hurt you like this. You’re my little brother.”

“Me?” Finn repeated. The knuckles of his fists bulged, clenched near his thighs. “What about her? What about Ana?”

Jon couldn’t tell the truth about this part. Could never say that, despite Finn’s pain, Jon wished he’d accomplished his goal, driving her far from Summer Island and both of them. “I wasn’t thinking.”

Finn moved toward him, and Jon flinched, thinking, for one terrible moment, Finn was going to beat him to a pulp. He’d seen what Finn’s hands could do in a rage. Earlier, for the first time in their lives, he’d felt it for himself.

Finn shook his head. “You think I’m going to kick your ass? I should. God knows you deserve it. But that would make me no better than you, and I never want to be like you.” Finn inhaled, steadying.

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