Lyra slammed the door behind her and pressed her back against it, breathing hard. Anger and guilt twisted in her stomach, each fighting for dominance. She knew Jake was only trying to protect Donovan, but he didn’t understand. He couldn’t. Donovan had spent his whole life believing he was a burden. If he didn’t face Halle, he would let that belief destroy something that could have been beautiful.
She paced the room, her thoughts a storm. Part of her wanted to march right back out to find her brother, to prove to Jake that she knew best. But another part of her, the part that had fallen in love with Jake when she wasn’t paying attention, hated the idea of going to bed angry at him.
Hours passed. Lyra tried to distract herself by curling up on the couch with a book, but she didn’t absorb a
