“I did tell the truth. We weren’t involved in the vandalism.” She huffed.
This was impossible. They were just going to sit here and go round and round and only frustrate each other more.
“Go to your room. You can add another two weeks of grounding for sneaking out.”
She stood up and turned to walk out the door.
“Soph.” He stood, and when she turned around, he hugged her tightly. “I love you. Please know that you can talk to me about anything.”
“Okay.” She turned and went to her room.
Liam took the time to photograph the spray-paint cans and made notes. He needed to document everything related to them in case this turned into more than just teenagers being teenagers.
When he was finished, he paced the kitchen as thoughts swirled in his mind. Was he making the right decisions whenit came to Sophia? What about when it came to the Williams sisters?
Liam had no idea what he was going to do.
TEN
Sam lay on the bed in the Deans’ spare room and stared at the ceiling. The sun was slowly rising, casting light into the room and onto the TV sitting on the dresser, which hadn’t been turned on. Despite the adrenaline crash and relaxing glass of wine, she’d barely slept. Unlike Bella, who lay beside her, snoring.
Several times throughout the night, Sam had rolled over and stared at her sister. For ten minutes yesterday, she’d thought Bella was dead.
Her chest ached at the memory. It hadn’t happened—she needed to remember that. Bella was safe beside her. People would say God had been watching out for Bella with how everything had played out. Getting her out of the house.
But if God was watching out for Bella now, then where had He been when Sam was a child and fending for herself because her mother was too drunk to remember she had a daughter? Where had God been when Sam started working for the Mob with no idea she was in over her head?
Why hadn’t God been watching out for her?
There was so much that needed to be done today. Getting in contact with her landlord’s guy and getting some necessary clothes and toiletries were at the top of her list. But she didn’t have it in her to get up. Instead, she rolled over and watched Bella sleep.
Sam may not have carried the girl in her womb, but she loved Bella like she was her own child. She’d been there since the day Bella was born. And yesterday, she’d come too close to losing her. Tears burned Sam’s eyes. She closed them and took deep breaths. She’d cried enough last night.
Her thoughts turned to the fire and the dead body. Who was it, and why had her house been chosen? Had it been meant as a warning? Had the Mob found her and Bella?
Sam didn’t think so. The Mob didn’t do things like that. If those people knew where they were, Sam and Bella would already be dead or captured. The Mob didn’t taunt. They acted. Either take out the threat or torture it to teach a lesson.
Bile rose in her throat.
A door shut somewhere down the hall. There was no use lying in bed thinking. She needed to get up and start doing.
She stood up and wrapped her hair in a bun on top of her head, then closed the bedroom door behind her as she followed the light down the hall to the kitchen. The scent of fresh-brewed coffee thickened as she got closer.
Dean was standing at the coffeepot, pouring himself a cup. He glanced up at her before setting his cup down. “Sleep well?” He pulled another cup from the coffee-mug tree, poured some in it, and handed it to her.
She accepted the mug, wrapping her hands around it. “No.”
Dean slid the coffeepot back onto the burner and picked up his own mug. “Didn’t think you would.” He leaned his hip against the counter and took a small sip of his coffee. “Mymother is going to come watch the boys this morning, so Cass can help you with whatever you need.”
Thickness filled her throat. “They don’t have to do that.”
“They want to. You and Bella are family.”
Sam swallowed the lump in her throat. “Thanks. I have an appointment at the Orange Street Church clothes closet at nine.”
Dean quirked an eyebrow. “Church?”
He knew she avoided church, although he didn’t know why.
