"I stopped the day I brought you here. The very first day," Stryker felt the need to explain. " I haven't touched a drop since. That bottle... I found it. It was one that I hadn't got around to throwing away. I was fine until I saw it. I was fine until... I want to blame this on my mom, or anything, but I think that would just be an excuse. I just... seemed easier for a second."

He wanted to blame seeing his mother. That had definitely been a trigger, but then again, Sammy really wasn't helping either.

But as he said, that was just an excuse. They hadn't...