The silence in the courtroom felt deafening after James's outburst.

I sank back into my seat, my legs too shaky to support me. Ace's hand found mine immediately, his fingers intertwining with mine in a gesture that felt like an anchor.

"Are you okay?" he whispered.

I nodded, even though I wasn't sure it was true. Seeing James again had brought back every terrible memory I'd tried to bury. But it had also shown me something important.

I wasn't the same broken woman who'd fled ...