His Saving Grace.

Chapter 36.

"Grace, I want you to meet my baby brother, Austin Raines."

My heart felt constricted as I watched Hunter's face morphed into one of complete and utter sadness. I couldn't form any coherent words so I just stared at him in shock. He crouched down and lightly traced the writings on the tombstone, a small sad smile slowly making it's way to his lips. I touched his shoulder in comfort and crouched down next to him. I sat Indian style in front of the tombstone and grabbed his hand, intertwining them.

"He died two years ago, and it was all my fault," he said, his voice sounding strangled. I squeezed his hand and said, "It wasn't your fault, don't blame yourself."

He turned to me with such guilt and remorse that I instantly brought up my hand, the one not holding his, and stroked his jawline, feeling the small stubble prick my palm. He closed his eyes and turned away. "You don't understand. It was really my fault," he said and pulled his hand from mine, and tugged on his hair.

"What do you mean? How is it your fault?" I whispered, suddenly feeling anxious.

"Do you promise not to hate me if I tell you?"

"I can never hate you," I said, stroking his face.

"Okay." He looked back at the tombstone with a determined look and started talking. "Two years ago, I got mixed up with a really bad crowd. I started fighting, drinking and doing drugs. I was also a dealer." — my eyes widened at this piece of information but I kept quiet and let him continue— "I dealt drugs to low thugs and also to some rich kids. That's where things went south. Some bad people found out that the drugs that I've been selling to them cost way less than what they've been paying for, so they wanted me to pay. Of course, I didn't. I mean, I was just their supplier, not the actual drug lord so it wasn't my fault. They, however, thought otherwise."

He paused for a moment and cleared his throat — "Well, one day, I was with my brother. We were hanging out outside a bar and they came. There were five of them and two of us, not to mention that they were much older than the both of us. They started demanding that I pay their money and when I refused to, they beat us up. I managed to cause some damage to two of them but my brother, he-" he glanced down and I followed his eyes to his shaking hands. I took them in my hands and kissed his calloused knuckles, urging him to continue. He did.

"Austin was trying to fight off this guy who was around my age but this other guy, out of nowhere, stabbed him," — I let out a gasp and rushed to give Hunter some more comfort. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and he rested his head in the crook of my neck. I combed my hands through his hair and whispered soothing words to him. I can just imagine how hard it is for him to relive those awful moments.

His hands went around my waist, pulling and tugging on my blouse as he seeked comfort. "It's okay. Shh, I'm here."

"You know, after they stabbed him, they didn't even stop. They continued beating us till someone called out to them. I watched as my baby brother writhed in pain as he clutched onto his bloodied chest. I got up from the ground and tried to stumble my way towards him. I was already in pain but seeing Austin like that, knowing that it was because of me, caused me more pain than what those fuckers inflicted."

I felt the fabric of my blouse sticking to my skin because of Hunter's tears. "I tried to help him Grace, I really did, but- he just wouldn't open his damn eyes. I called the ambulance but it was too late," he choked out between his tears.

"Shh, it's okay. He's in a better place, now. Don't you think you should be happy for him instead?" I said as I gently rubbed his tear soaked cheeks.

"Why should I be happy? I'm the one that's supposed to be dead. It was supposed to be my name on this tombstone, not his. He was supposed to be alive. He was supposed to fall in love and get his heart broken and then someday, fall in love again. He's supposed to get in trouble for not getting good grades in Biology or Calculus or whatever it is that he's not good at. He's supposed to be here and annoy the living crap out of me but-" his breath hitched as more tears fell freely down his face and my hands that were still cupping his cheeks.