“Well, we have to get down to the courthouse to meet with the public defender or something. Make sure everything is set up with the bail bondsman.”
My head feels like it’s spinning around and around. “What?”
“This is your fucking fault,” she hisses, her finger coming up to point in my direction.
I take a step back. “Me?”
“It’s because of your boyfriend.” She takes two steps toward me. “Now you have to fix it.”
“Get the fuck away from her. Now!” My head whips to the doorway. Theo. He looks like he ran here.
“You,” she hisses at him, “this is your fault.” She’s stalking toward him now. “He did nothing wrong, and they arrested him while he was sleeping.”
“That’s not what the evidence says,” Theo replies.
“What is going on?” I ask him. “What is she talking about?”
“He”—she points to Theo—“had your father arrested.”
“What?” I ignore my mother and look at Theo.
“A couple of our building sites have been broken into.” I feel everything leave my body. “Tools and stuff taken. We placed cameras. The other day, we caught someone on video breaking into our office. We saw a part of his face, not all of it. But Burke confirmed it, it’s your father. I should have told you sooner, but I didn’t know how to tell you.”
“Oh my god.”
“You don’t know it was him!” my mother shouts, throwing her hands over her head.
“Out!” Theo roars. “Get the fuck out of my house right now, or I’ll call the cops, and you can join your husband.”
“You’re just going to let him talk to me like that?” She stares at me, expecting me to take her side. “Your own flesh and blood?” I don’t say anything. “Remember who took care of you.”
“I don’t have to remember,” I whisper. “I know. My whole life it was me who took care of me.”
“Sorry excuse for a child. Give me money to get to the courthouse.”
“You are not getting a cent from her,” Theo declares before I can reply. He takes out his phone. “And you have one minute before I call Officer Burke.”
“You’ll be sorry about this,” she hisses at Theo, storming past him and out of the house.
“I can’t.” My eyes fill with tears so big I can no longer see Theo clearly. “They’ll never stop. Now do you see why I can’t do this with you?”
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
THEO
I watch her stand here, shoulders slumped, tears dripping down her face, and the only thing I can think is: I hate her parents. I don’t hate a lot of people in my life. I find the energy just drains you. But those two people, who I hate with every single fiber of my being? She shakes her head side to side as she wipes away the tears with the back of her hand, but it’s like a million more pour out of her. “I can’t do this to you.”
I feel my heart about to jump out of my chest, never in a million years thinking she would leave me because of this.
“I need to know everything.” Her voice is shaking.
“There is no reason for that.” I shake my head, not wanting to do it.
“I need to know.” I see her hands trembling as she lifts them to wipe the tears from her face. “Everything.” Her voice sounds like she is defeated.
“Collins . . .”
“How did you know she was here?”
