The hand on my thigh increases pressure as another hand grips my shoulder, rubbing softly, bringing me back to the here and now, making me realize I stopped talking and zoned out. My gaze lifts, meeting his eyes, and the empathy and anguish shining in them causes the ache in my chest to intensify, but it also grounds me yet again, giving me the courage to continue.

“The car she hit…” My throat aches from the emotion I’m trying so fucking hard to hold back. My elbows come up to rest on my knees and my hands cradle my head. Closing my eyes doesn’t stop the tears from flowing. They fall hot down my face as I try to control my breathing. The hand on my shoulder comes to my back, rubbing soothing circles, and I feel his body shifting closer. A soft sniffle reaches my ears, but I can’t even look at him anymore. Not when I know the tragedy that’s coming.

It takes a few minutes, but eventually, I pull myself together enough to continue. To finish. “The car she hit belonged to Brielle Doxley, a thirty-four-year-old wife and mother. She had a daughter, who looked to be about ten, and a son, who was probably around eight. I only know this because one night, months after it happened, I worked up the courage to look her up on social media. Their names are Raegan and Simon, and they now have to live their life without a mother.”

A hoarse sob comes out without my permission as a fresh set of tears cascade down my face. When I speak again, my voice is broken, barely above a whisper.

“They also had a baby sister on the way. A baby sister that Aida killed that night.” I glance over at Cash. “She was pregnant, Cash. She was fucking pregnant, and her life was taken from her by a selfish drunk driver.”

My whole body shakes as the scene replays in my mind against my will. Running toward her crushed car, seeing her lifeless face. Being unable to do fucking anything at all.

“Brielle was wearing her seatbelt, but with the blunt force of the impact, her neck broke, severing her spinal column. She died before the medics could even get there. She died before I could save her. I never could’ve saved her… even if I had gotten there two minutes before I did. But if I would’ve fucking been more careful, if I would’ve not fought with Aida as hard as I fucking did, maybe she wouldn’t have gotten behind the wheel. Maybe I could’ve saved that woman and her ch-childs life.”

Pushing to my feet, I cross the room before turning and facing Cash. His eyes are bloodshot, face blotchy. He probably mirrors how I look.