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Chapter Twenty-One
It’s a blissful Sunday morning of waking up to no alarms, and the sun seems to be shining even brighter now that I know Theo will be going behind bars soon. He’s obviously some kind of head guy for this underground illegal gambling ring, and with the FBI already keeping an eye on him, waiting for more fuel for their investigation, this is sure to bring him down once and for all.
I sit up in bed and stretch out my arms with a smile on my face, thinking how pretty the birds sound chirping outside of my window. I slip into a sweatshirt and head downstairs, thinking I smell bacon and eggs cooking. The perfect breakfast for the perfect morning.
But there’s more stirring and voices downstairs than there should be, which only becomes clearer as I round the corner. I freeze when I make out one of the voices to be Theo’s. What the hell is he doing here again? Especially after that fight with Brendan. Surely, he’ll be arrested soon.
I step into the living room and see that not only is Theo here. Emmett is too. And they’re all sitting around chatting, my mom and Brendan included. Everyone stops suddenly and grows very quiet when they see.
“What’s going on?” I ask, feeling completely thrown. Not exactly the kind of thing I expected to walk into this morning.
“Oh, good morning, sweetie,” my mom says softly with a strange somber tone. “I’m glad you’re up. We were wanting to talk to you.”
“We?” I laugh nervously. “We as in all of you? Together?” No one answers and each time I look at one of them, they shift and fidget, darting their eyes away. “What’s going on?”
Emmett walks up sheepishly and takes me by the hands. “Come here, have a seat.”
“Okay, you’re all really starting to freak me out,” I exhale as he leads me over to the dining room table. Everyone seems to be bubbling up with something, but they won’t say a word. “Is someone going to tell me what this is all about or…”
“We’re all worried about you,” my mom announces as Brendan grabs her hand in support.
“Worried about me?” I scoff, thinking I’m the one that’s worried about all them. Especially any time Theo is around. “What for?”
There’s a longer awkward pause until finally, Emmett takes a stab at spitting it out. “Theo told us about you talking to Detective Williams,” he says.
I let out a big gulp, unsure of what to say. Why would Detective Williams give me away like that? He knew it could be dangerous for me. Now I don’t know how much Theo knows or what kind of spin he has managed to put on this for everybody.
“Did he tell you why I talked to Detective Williams?” I sneer, growing angrier by the second as I look at Theo across the table. Why the hell am I the one being interrogated here? And why isn’t he in jail yet?
“He’s running an illegal gambling ring!” I blurt, unable to hold it in anymore.
But no one looks surprised at all. In fact, it only seems to make them more frustrated with me. They sigh and hang their heads in disappointment.
“I’ve been working with the FBI, Ophelia,” Theo states plainly as if I should have known this all along. “Yes, I did get into some trouble with them a long time ago. But I made a deal with them and part of that is being an inside guy for some things. Like that illegal gambling ring.”
“You could’ve gotten Theo killed, ratting him out to a stranger like that,” my mom scolds.
“Have you lost your minds!?” I shriek. “You honestly believe this!? Detective Williams isn’t a stranger. He’s a trusted contact. And how am I supposed to know that I shouldn’t turn him in for doing illegal things!? I’m just supposed to give him the benefit of the doubt and…what? Lie for him?”
“What you did was very dangerous,” she snaps. “You weren’t supposed to lie for him…but you shouldn’t have been there in the first place. Honestly, Ophelia. Sneaking off into a place like that at night by yourself. Do you have any idea what could have happened to you!?”
I let out a big huff of frustration, knowing full well what could have happened to me. And it was worth the risk. “Do you have any idea what will happen to all of us if we keep trusting this guy?” I snarl towards Theo.
“That’s exactly what we’re worried about, Ophelia,” Brendan chimes in. “I know I didn’t set a very good example the other night. I think everyone can agree that making amends with Theo has been emotionally trying for all of us. But he’s a good guy. At least now. And he’s doing his best here. I’ve apologized and I think you should too.”
“Apologize?” I gasp. “That’s not going to happen. In fact, I can’t sit here and listen to this bullshit. I wanted to save you all from him, but if you want to be this way about it…let him have at it. You hear that Theo?” I fume across the table. “They’re all yours! My boyfriend and my whole family! Do you wanna invite Bridgett over too? Sweet talk her into trusting you? I see straight through it and it’s not my fault none of you can.” I leap from my chair and turn to storm out of the room.
“Sit down, Ophelia,” my mo
m’s voice booms, letting me know she really means it. “Now.”
“I don’t want to,” I insist. “What else is it you want to say?”
“Listen to your mother,” Theo says, adding insult to injury.
My eyes grow wide, and I think I have never been more furious in my life as I stare him down with my blood boiling. It feels like hot lava coursing through my veins, and I wish I could spew it out at him.
“Oh, you want to parent now? Dear old Dad?” I snap back bitterly. “Why don’t we tell them about the kind of parent you were we first moved here?”
