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I press my lips together.

Mom blows out a breath and looks between the two of us. Her gaze settles on me. “I trust you, Jack. Your dad does too. If you need help, any help, you know you can come to us, right?”

My mom’s blue eyes meet mine and hold them. She’s always been the one to bring us back to center when my dad and I had issues years ago. It’s not easy having an involved dad. I was almost jealous of my friends’ fathers’ disinterest in what they did when I was younger.

But I know they’d give anything to have parents like mine. Solid, reliable. Not trying to put their legacy on my back, but willing to let me forge my own.

I release a breath. “Yes. I know you’re here for me if I need you.”

“You have an appointment with Mary?” Mom narrows her eyes on me.

“Yes. We all do.” I run a hand through my hair. Harper is downstairs alone. Unlike Caden’s, there isn’t a way into our basement that isn’t through the house, but my gut drops because I haven’t heard anything from her.

I jolt to my feet. The chair scraping the floor. “I need to get back to Harper.”

My dad opens his mouth, but before he can say anything, Mom waves her hand. “Go back to your girl. The rest can wait.”

She looks pointedly at my father. He sighs and nods.

“Just know you can trust us, Jack.” My dad’s eyes plead with me.

I want to trust them. I do. But right now, the world is on the outside, and the only people I trust are my best friends and my girl. Jennifer seems legit and I trust her, but it’s like everyone has a deal with the devil, including my parents, and the devil is William Foster.

I turn and head down the stairs. My heart calms as Harper turns to me with a smile.

“Hey,” she says like everything is okay.

Fuck, I want everything to be okay. I cross the room and scoop her up. She grabs on to me, and I settle onto the couch with her on my lap. She had it right. I just want to be a teenager for a while. Even if it’s only pretend.

“Let’s watch a movie, sweetheart.”

CHAPTER 41

Home Awaiting Orders

Harper

We have dinner at Jack’s with his parents, Mom, and the guys. Except for Nico. He stayed home after physical therapy. Apparently it took a lot out of him, and the therapist was concerned about him overusing his knee this early after surgery given everything that happened over this weekend.

It’s odd not to have him here. But this is how high school is going to be. It’s the way it was at the beginning, but I like having them all with me. The last couple of days make me greedy for more.

Mom has to work later tonight, and we’ve decided to all sleep at Caden’s. That way we can all go to school together in the morning. Two cars, of course, so we can pick up Nico. But deciding that and telling my mom are two different things.

It’s one thing when she just thinks I’m sleeping at Kenz’s over the weekend and another for her to know I’m sleeping with four guys.

“It’s a school night.” Mom searches my eyes like I’m going to suddenly be deathly ill. Or maybe she’s worried I’ll shatter like the fragile piece of glass everyone is treating me like. “Maybe you shouldn’t go to school tomorrow.”

“If she doesn’t show up for school, they win.” Eli rubs his hand over his head. “Their leaders are in jail for now, but the bail hearings will be held this week. We need people to remember what they did. Not just to Harper, but to everyone.”

Mom squeezes my hand. Her gaze doesn’t leave mine. “If you want to stay home tomorrow, you can. If you need time, I’ll give it to you.” She turns her gaze to Eli. “I understand what you’re saying. Probably better than most, but they didn’t win. Harper taking time to deal with her trauma is no one’s business but her own. And if she needs the time, she should take it.”

“You’re right.” Eli lowers his head in deference to my mother. My guys like their moves and countermoves. Everything they do has a purpose. It’s something that needs to happen for something else to happen. It’s just who they are.

It gives them some control in this chaos.

I put my hand on Eli’s arm, and he looks at me. There’s still worry in his eyes. He’s being strong for me, but I need for him to know that I can be strong for him too.

“I’ll make the decision in the morning, Mom.” I glance at the others. “It will be my decision, and I’ll text you what I decide. Tonight we’re staying over at Caden’s. We’re safe there.”