“...the dead have a way of becoming saints in the eyes of their survivors...”

“Justice is for the victim.” Kick. “Vengeance is for the survivor.”

“I have choices," I insisted, refusing to break eye contact. "We both do. I may have to make mine carefully, and make a few compromises along the way, but I have a choice. I choose you.”

“There was just no good way for a dead son to greet his mother almost two weeks after his funeral.”

“Alec rolled beautiful brown eyes. "No fair playing the death card." "No fair having it to play.”

“Sneak out." He shrugged, as if that should have been a no-brainer. But that was easy for him to say. He was dead. What else could they do to him, take away his birthday?”

“Have either of you seen your mother ” “Yeah ” Ethan said and my heart actually skipped a beat. But I should have known Ethan was joking. “Slim lady. Blue eyes and a gray pageboy ” he continued his eyes glistening in appreciation of his own humor. “Answers to the name ‘Mom'.”