Page 65 of Watch Me Burn
I was disgusted. Just moments ago, he’d been all about taking responsibility, and now this? What a damn coward.
“Sorry, brother, but I will set things straight. I’m done here.”
And I freaking was.
I stormed to the door, wrenching it open. Nathan was hot on my heels, pleading with me to wait. Why should I? He’d lived it up for fifteen years while an innocent man rotted in prison for his crime. If he had had a shred of integrity, we could’ve lawyered up. Painted it as an accident, as Dad getting heated over his twisted secret life and taking a bad fall. Plenty of jurors might’ve even sympathized, glad the creep was gone.
But now? Getting sympathy for Nathan would be a steep hill to climb, especially after he watched another man take the fall while he played house in luxury. Maybe a top-tier lawyer could swing it . . . but it wouldn’t be a walk in the park.
As I sprinted to my car, Nathan’s voice cracked, begging me to consider “his wife and kids.” He even played the card about my own reputation as a lawyer and what revealing this would do to me. Sure, I was thinking about all of it. But Ethan loomed larger in my thoughts.
The memory of his cancer-stricken grandmother dying alone haunted me. The funeral he couldn’t attend. The stain on his reputation that might never wash out. The way society treated him: like trash. That’s what this was about, not just revenge. It was about justice.
On the other hand, my brother’s family? They’d be more than fine. Even if the truth came out, their wealth would cushion them. Ethan’s undeserved label and his years of suffering couldn’t compare to a few potential setbacks for my brother. They might have to sell the practice or downsize, but they’d still enjoy luxuries most people only dream of.
And as for Nathan? The justice system might take it easy on him because of his rich white male privilege bullshit. Hell, he might just serve a few years, or even dodge the bullet.
With all this in mind, I knew where I stood.
Just as I was about to hop into my car, Ethan appeared on the driver’s side, wrapping his fingers around my wrist.
“Anna, wait!”
The urgency in his voice halted my fury. I looked at him, my face wet from tears, and the weight in my chest felt almost unbearable. One look into his eyes, and I could read his unspoken words.
He wanted to back out.
“No,” I cut him off before he could even speak. “He doesn’t just get to walk away from this, Ethan. No!”
Ethan took a deep breath, and it was only then that I saw he was shaking.
“I don’t give a damn about Nathan. Trust me on that. But you . . . you matter to me more than life itself.”
The emotion behind his words left an indelible mark on my heart.
“This is one hell of a mess,” Ethan muttered, rubbing his temples. “But Nathan’s got a point. If this blows up, your career’s going up in flames.”
I shot back, tears threatening to spill, “Damn my career! He killed someone and let YOU, an innocent man, take the fall! And those girls . . . they deserve justice. They deserve to be heard.”
Ethan tenderly brushed a tear from my cheek. “They’ll get their justice. We can expose what your dad did. And maybe, just maybe, if we play our cards right, we can find a way to clear my name. There are plenty of real suspects now with all the new evidence we have.”
“Maybe so, but it’d be years in appeal court,” I replied, the weight of the situation pressing down. “And there’s no guarantee they’d overturn your conviction. Especially not when you can sue the state for your wrongful imprisonment.”
Ethan held my gaze. “It’s a long, shitty road, Anna. But you’re a damn good lawyer. If anyone can navigate this nightmare, it’s you.”
I choked back more tears. “Ethan, don’t do this for me. If you think I’d resent you because Nathan is my brother, you’re dead wrong.”
He leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to my lips. “I know,” he whispered. “But I can’t stand by and watch you burn. Your dad’s sins will be hard enough to manage. Toss Nathan into the mix, and it’ll be hell. And let’s be real, he might lash out, accuse us of lying. Your mom’s testimony would be sketchy at best after she lied all these years.”
“Ethan . . .” My voice cracked.
He cupped my face, looking deep into my eyes. “I love you, Anna. More than you can ever know. But dragging Nathan through this, especially after I’ve already paid the price for his crime? It’s going to backfire on you. I won’t let you do it, Anna. If you go to the cops, I won’t talk. Not one word.”
Shock registered on my face. For a split second, it felt like he was abandoning me. But then it clicked: he was trying to save me, even at his own expense.
My bottom lip trembled, but I slowly came to give in. I still hated my brother for what he did, but if Ethan wanted to move forward, I had to accept his decision.
“I love you!” I exclaimed, throwing my arms around him, pulling him close. Every inch of me felt tethered to this man. He’d filled the void that gaped open inside me after my father’s death, making me feel alive and cherished.
