Chapter 27

“Not now, Brooklyn!” her mother snapped. “God, you always get in the way! Sticking your nose in where it doesn’t concern you! You were always a nuisance child! Why do you think we sent you away to live with your stupid aunt and uncle? We didn’t want you!”

“Grace!” her dad gasped. “Give me the phone, now!”

“I’m just telling her the truth! After the whore got herself into all that trouble! She brought it all on herself, getting taken and r—”

“Stop it, now! You’re drunk!”

Brooklyn slowly lowered her phone. She could still hear her mother yelling, but she was glad she couldn’t make out what she was saying.

Harry’s hand reached out to hers, and he pried the phone from her fingers, pressing end and locking it. “Brooklyn,” Harry said. “None of what she said was true.”

“She thought it was my fault,” Brooklyn whispered. “The incident. She blamed what I wore and how ‘flirty’ I was. After it happened, she said I deserved it.”

“You didn’t,” Harry said i