Everyone in That House Was Counting on Him Never Walking Again. He Was Hiding the Fact That He’d Started To

We let him nearly fall, in front of the people who’d counted on him staying down, because catching him would have been the crueler mercy.

And he didn’t fall.

He stood, on strength no one in that room had believed he still had, and the standing was worth ten times more for the fact that no one had done it for him.

“Long enough,” Garrett said, holding his brother’s eyes, “to keep it to myself until I understood what happened while I was down.”

“So you set a trap for me.”

“I protected myself,” Garrett said, “while I found out the truth.” Justin stepped in — “that’s enough for now” — and helped him ease back into the chair.