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Sobbing into my hands, I didn’t have any strength left inside of me to keep it in anymore. The walls I’d built since I left Alpine Peak started to crack the moment I met Hunter, but Logan was the one to kick each brick all the way in.

“I’m sorry if I said something wrong. Please tell me why you’re upset.” Once again, Logan attempted to reach out, but the guard stopped him.

“One more strike, and your visit will end early, Brooks.”

“Sorry, boss.” He spoke over his shoulder. “Andi…” Logan whispered, bringing the conversation back to us.

Lifting my rosy cheeks and swollen eyes from my hands, I found it somewhere deep inside of me to speak up.

“You took it all away from me, Logan.” I took a deep breath, trying my best not to get worked up. The last thing I wanted was to get kicked out of here for making a scene.

“I resented you every day for snatching my dream out of my hands. I hated you for becoming a clone of our parents when we always agreed we’d leave together. I begged you every damn day to give up the bad habits you were building, only for it to get worse. You were so fucked up most nights that in the deepest parts of me, I don’t even know if you remember the things you said to me, but I’ve held on to those words every day. You made me feel so fucking low, Logan. You were all I had in that godforsaken town, and eventually, I was forced to give it all up—even you. I became the girl without any family, working a job that was never supposed to be my path to success. Letting people into my life hasn’t come easy, and because of that, I’ve felt so alone.”

Silence filled the space between us, and it felt like an eternity before his voice finally cracked.

“I have a lot to be sorry for. I was a total asshole and not the man I am today. I didn’t make the best decisions, and I’ve kicked myself every day since the last time I saw you for all the ways in which I treated you so poorly.” Stretching back in his chair, he ran his hands over his face, pausing for a brief moment.

“Saying I’m sorry isn’t enough, Andi. I wanted to show you I’ve changed. I know there isn’t much I can do here in prison to prove that to you. But as badly as I wanted to write you every fucking day and beg you to come visit, to tell you I’ve been sober, on my best behavior, and making any change that’s possible inside of these walls, I held off until I felt truly ready.” His eyes glossed over, and true remorse reflected across his features.

“You came to see me, and I’ll forever be grateful for that. I said a lot of fucked up shit when I was at my worst, things you never deserved to be told. Things that I’m sure you’ve held on to, and I’ll never forgive myself for that. I was selfish back then, Andi. I was a product of two shitty parents, and I was convinced that every good part of them that they had to give all went to you. I never believed in myself enough to get out of that town, so I tried to drag you down with me. As fucked up as it is, you were always my person, too, and instead of putting you first, I became a person that neither one of us recognized. You were slipping away, and as much as you needed me, I always needed you more, Andi.”

He may have been selfish back then, but I was the one being selfish for the last few years. When I left and gave up on him, when I refused to hear him out or come visit him in jail all these years, I was the one being a stubborn asshole and giving up on the one person that’s always meant the world to me.

Logan was right, though. I think in some weird way, we both needed the space to get our lives on track. He may have made me feel like I had to give it all up, but he was just an obstacle. I was the one to give up on myself.

“It means the world to me to hear you apologize, but I’m sorry, too, Logan.”

“You don’t have a damn thing to be sorry for.”

“I know I said it before, but I should have at least come to see you sooner. In my head, I treated you like you were a bad person, when in reality, you just did a bad thing. You made a mistake, and others may not know it, but I’ve always seen the good in you.”

“Are you saying you’ll come visit me again? Or at least write me?”

“I think that can be arranged. Maybe I’ll even figure out how to load money onto your account, so you can call me. That is, if you want to talk on the phone.” My shoulders lifted in a shrug, and at the same time, I felt a weight disappear as I dropped them.

Glancing up at the clock, I realized visiting hours were almost over. Earlier today, I wanted to get this over with and check a box that I’d done it. Sitting here now, seeing this changed man in front of me, the last thing I wanted to do was walk away from here.

We had years to catch up on.

“How ever it is that I can get you back into my life, I’ll take it.” It was obvious that Logan felt something similar to me. This visit was good for us. Hopefully, it would change things going forward.

We both came into it as adults having a conversation, expressing the things that hurt us, never pointing fingers or holding a grudge. We simply voiced how we felt and moved on, because the idea of mending things made life sound greater than continuing on a path of loneliness and destruction.

As I started to stand, Logan stopped me.

“Hey, before you leave, can you just … tell me a little bit about your life?” His eyes pled with me to give him something to hold on to before he had to go back.

Fighting back a massive grin, I allowed my happiness to seep through just a touch.

“I have the best friends a girl could possibly ask for—Avery and Peyton. They’re my everything. I don’t have a dancing job like you might think…” I looked around, making sure no one was near when I lowered my voice. “I’m actually a … stripper.” I scratched my head. “And I never actually thought about what that would sound like coming out of my mouth to my brother, but it’s really not all that bad. I get to dance my ass off every day. And sorry to disappoint, but I’m not currently in love like you’d hope.”

Logan’s face fell, sadness covering it before I could add, “But I might be on my way there.” With my omission, it was almost impossible to hide my smile now.

“Yeah? Who is the lucky guy?”

“Maybe one day, I’ll write to you and tell you all about him. Something tells me you’d love him, though. If it wasn’t for him, I’m not sure I would have made it today.”

Standing up, I met Logan on the other side of the table. Already anticipating a long hug in our future, and the guard to get a little snappy with us, I held on as long as I could, waiting for Logan to be the one to let go. It was then, while I embraced my brother, I was grateful he’d somehow landed himself here, in the state of Nevada, when the prison in Colorado had been too full to take him at the time.