Sloane Kingston
"Because I want the town to confess to the sins they covered up," I say, my voice laced with bitterness that has simmered for years, festering in the dark corners of my mind. Each word I utter is like a blade cutting through the veil of silence that has cloaked Delaney Grove for far too long.
Hadley's eyes narrow, her gaze piercing through the layers of my defenses, searching for any sign of a lie or instability. "Prove to me you're not going to hurt someone innocent, and I'll make that deal," she says, her tone hard and unyielding. "Tell me the story."
I study her for a moment, weighing her demand against the storm of memories that threaten to consume me. It would be so easy to refuse, to walk away and let her live in ignorance. But I need her to understand, to see the truth that has been buried under lies and deceit for so long.
