Give Up On Me by Tressie Lockwood

hand slipped before it shut.
    A wave of dizziness assailed her, and she propped herself up with a shoulder against the wall. Kyler and Margaret’s voice reached her through the narrow opening.
    “It seems like maybe she cares about him,” Kyler said.
    “Don’t be fooled. You saw how fast she came up with that scheme. It’s because she had it in mind this whole time. My guess is even the tears were a part of her plan.”
    Janae shook her head and covered her mouth as she staggered away. Let them think what they wanted. Her world had crumbled all around her, and she had nothing left to fight with. What she could do now was survive—until the hurt eased and she didn’t feel like she was dying every time she inhaled.

Chapter Eleven
    “… y ou going to give me money, or not?”
    Matt shut his eyes. He stuck his hands in his pockets, but they kept on shaking. “Play it again.”
    “Come on, Matt,” Kyler said. “I’ve played it three times. You know what this means.”
    Matt looked at him. “Give it to me a minute.”
    His brother sighed and handed over his phone. Rather than play it again, Matt chucked the phone across the room. The tiny device struck a display window, which covered shelves built into the wall. Glass shattered and flew everywhere. The phone landed on the floor.
    “What the hell are you doing, Matt?”
    He ignored Kyler and strode over to the phone. Atop the glass littering the carpet, he stomped the phone until it lay in as many pieces at the glass. Kyler shouted again behind him, and Matt spun around.
    He charged across the office and grabbed his brother, lifting him off his feet. Kyler was just as big as he was, maybe more densely muscled, but Matt moved on adrenaline, rage, and the depths of sorrow.
    “Do you think for one minute I will let her go, even with this?” Matt bit out between clenched teeth.
    “Matt, stop this.” Margaret tugged his arm. He didn’t budge.
    “I love her more than my next breath. Do you understand that? No, you couldn’t. You’re a fucking cold-blooded idiot, and right now I hate your guts.”
    Kyler paled, his eyes widening. Matt imagined neither of them had ever seen him this way. He had never needed or wanted to be a prick in his entire life. Maybe he was more fortunate than others, but Janae had made a good life an amazing one.
    “You paid her money to go away?” Matt said.
    “She asked for it. You heard the recording.” Kyler struggled in his hold.
    “I would have paid her,” Matt shouted. “I would have given her everything. But you knew that!”
    Something in Matt snapped, and he threw his brother with enough force to send him over the top of his desk. He smashed against the far wall, shattering a vase on a shelf there. Kyler landed on the floor, and a pile of heavy books fell atop him along with the broken vase. Matt didn’t flinch.
    “Kyler!” Margaret shouted. She ran over to him, and Matt turned away, heading for the door.
    Behind him, his brother cursed. “Damn it, no, Margaret, let me go. I think it’s broken.”
    Matt had a second of guilt before he pushed it away, recalling what his brother had done. He reached for the door, but Kyler, panting, called to him.
    “What are you going to do, Matt?”
    He looked around. Kyler had struggled to his feet, but he cradled his right arm in his left. Matt steeled his heart again his brother and grandmother. “I’m going to find her wherever she is if I have to rip this country apart.”
    “Matt, don’t do anything stupid.” His grandmother thought he would listen to her again. Not now, not ever.
    He turned and walked back over to them. Staggering, Kyler stepped in front of Margaret, and she stared at Matt wide-eyed and pale. He wasn’t so far gone as to attack an old woman, but he stopped several feet away from them as Kyler’s face wasn’t safe from his fist. If Kyler grew spiteful, he might press charges just to slow Matt down. He didn’t want to push his luck when he needed time to