I made Chloe wait in the car. She’s kind of annoyed with me, but there’s no way I want her walking into some prison. We “discussed” it for most of the two-hour trip, but finally, about five minutes from the parking lot, she conceded on the one condition that I’d tell her every single detail when I got back to the car.

I promised her I would.

And I will.

Because telling Chloe stuff makes me feel better.

She believes in me.

She believes in Nick.

That’s the only reason I’m here.

The prison door buzzes, allowing me entry into the visitation room. I follow the prison guard’s instructions and take a seat on the chipped wooden stool in front of the Plexiglas cubicle.

Gazing at the black phone, I wait for my brother to join me.

About two minutes later, I see him shuffling in. He’s surprised to see me, probably because the last time I came, I was so mute he told me I didn’t have to come again.

“It’s a long way, you know? And you’ve got school. You take care of you. I’m fine.”

I went along with it because it seemed easier somehow, but now as I watch him thump into the seat in front of me, a wave of brotherly love storms through me so fast I’m nearly taken out.

I grit my teeth as we stare at each other. His brown eyes assess me, a hard look washing over his face as he takes in my bruises.

I reach for the phone.

“Hey, big bro.” My voice is kind of croaky, so I clear my throat and grip the receiver. “How you been?”

“Is that Diego’s work?” He points at me.

“I’m fine, man. It’s Spring Break, so I’m not missing any school.”

He lightly thumps the counter in front of him and lets out a soft string of curses.

I wait it out. It never takes him long to rein it in.

“I wasn’t going to come, but…” I drop my gaze, wondering how much to say.

Do I mention Chloe?

Do I tell him that she’s motivated me to be here?

“I told you, you don’t have to, Vin. I hate you seeing me like this. I wish I’d never let you down.”

I glance up, looking him right in the eye. “Did you?”

He frowns at me, his dark eyebrows wrinkling.

“Did you let me down? Did you kill that guy?”

His jaw works to the side.

“I need to know.”

“I don’t want you to get caught up in this, bro.” His eyes flash with warning. “Just let me do my time. It’s better for everyone.”

“That’s bullshit, man! Tell me the truth. Did you kill that guy?”

The phone goes slack in his hand and I’m worried he’s about to hang up on me. He lightly taps the receiver against his chin before closing his eyes and slowly lifting it back up.

“No.” He says the word so softly I nearly miss it.

“No?”

He shakes his head, his nostrils flaring when our eyes connect.

Relief spikes through me, followed by a healthy dose of anger. “Why have you never appealed?”

“My lawyer told me it was pointless. The evidence is too compelling.”

“Your lawyer's a dick. I never liked that guy,” I mutter darkly, remembering the public defender with his potbelly, cheesy smile and pointy-toed shoes.

Nick tips his head in agreement, then sighs. “Look, he's probably right, and I can't afford a new one. The best I can hope for is early parole.”

The best he could hope for?

“But you shouldn’t be in here, man. You’re innocent. You—”

“It doesn’t matter. They don’t care about that shit.”

An irate snort puffs out my nose. “Who did it?”

“I don’t know, and I don’t want you finding out.” His brown eyes, so like mine, flash with warning.

“Why? We have to. You shouldn’t be in here.”

“I can’t, man.” His expression turns dark and stormy. “You need to leave this alone.”

“No.” I tap my finger against the Plexiglas. “You need to tell me what happened.”

“It won’t do any good. I’m not getting out of here.”

“Tell me everything that happened from the time that guy was killed to when you got arrested.” My voice is full-on shaking, but my glare obviously has more power because Nick’s shoulders deflate.

Pressing the phone against his mouth, he softly whispers, “You sat through the entire trial. You know the details.”

“Tell me the parts that are true.”

Fear swamps his expression before he pulls it back into line, clenching his jaw and gritting out, “I don’t want you getting mixed up in this. I was saving for your college fund, working for certain people that Enzo didn’t know about.”

He was what?

I blink, trying to ignore the emotion surging through me.

My brother was doing extra work to put me through college?

Clearing my throat, I shuffle in my seat and sniff. “So, you think it was them?”

“It doesn’t matter what I think. It doesn’t matter that I got a text telling me to pick up that car and take it to the chop shop in Brazenwood. When I got there, Todd McCrae was already dead inside of it.”

I swallow. “They said you shot him trying to jack his car. The gun had your fingerprints all over it.”

“Because it was my gun! That didn’t mean I pulled the trigger on anyone. My boss made all of us carry in case we needed protection.”

“But the ballistics matched.”

“Because someone else used it. That night I went to collect the car, I didn’t know where the hell my gun was. I didn’t exactly want to fess up to my boss that I’d lost it, so I went to the pickup unarmed. I never thought…” His voice trails off and he shakes his head. “Look, it’s done, man. There’s no fighting these people.”

“Who sent you that text?”

Nick obviously doesn’t want to tell me who he was working for. He must suspect them of setting him up.

Shit!

I huff and try again. “Why was that text never presented as evidence in court? Why didn’t anyone ask you about it?”

“Because it doesn’t exist anymore.” Nick’s voice is dark with defeat. “And my lawyer advised me against admitting that I usually carried an unregistered weapon. I was dead in the water before the trial even started,” he mutters. “Someone wanted Todd McCrae dead. I can’t figure out why, but they were smart enough to put the murder on me. And I’ll take it.”

“What?” I snap.

“You don’t know who you’re dealing with. I’m keeping my mouth shut for you. So you do the same for me, you hear me? Do not get involved.” His steady gaze is telling me to obey him. “You wanted to know if I’m innocent, well I am. Now, just focus on being a teenager. Graduate for me, man. Please. Stay out of trouble.”

Before I can reply, he hangs up and stands from his chair.

The guard jumps to attention, cuffing my brother’s hands and ignoring my cries for Nick to come back.

I stand and watch him disappear behind the thick door. My head is pounding as I slowly return the phone to its cradle.

He’s staying silent for me?

What the hell is he talking about?

Feeling kind of numb, I turn and head back to the parking lot. I don’t know what the hell I’m supposed to tell Chloe. My brain can barely compute what just happened. My brother’s innocent. He was set up, but he’s happy to do the time?

That’s bullshit!

Something’s got him scared.

It should scare me too, but I can’t think past the righteous anger burning my numbness to dust.

Someone set up my brother…and scared him enough to take the fall.

I’m not okay with that.

I am so not fucking okay with that!