POV: Nova
I called my brother seventeen times before he finally answered.
"Nova?" Jake's voice was rough, scared. "I saw the news. I swear I'm trying to stop, I just need a little more time to—"
"How long?" I cut him off. "How long have you been dealing?"
Silence. Then, quietly: "Two years. Maybe a little more."
My heart shattered. "Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you ask for help?"
"Because you were busy being a star. Because I didn't want to be another problem you had to fix." His voice cracked. "I'm sorry, Nova. I'm so sorry. I never meant for any of this to—"
"It's not your fault. It's mine."
"What? No—"
"I should have been paying attention. Should have seen you were struggling. Instead I was so wrapped up in my career, in my marriage, in my own problems that I didn't even
