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It made me want to crawl under the bed sheets and never resurface.
I don’t want to be here.
I don’t want to be here, and yet I have nowhere else to go.
That’s what my life has come to.
I turn my head and take a shuddering breath. What I really want is a hot shower and some clean clothes, but it’s late, and my body is beginning to shut down.
When I hear another knock at the door I brace myself for Conner’s face, but it isn’t Conner at all.
It’s his father.
James Jagger.
The guy who takes in waifs and strays like he’s the Pied Piper of Sterling Bay.
“Can we talk?”
“It’s your house.” I shrug as he slips inside.
The door clicks shut, the sound reverberating through me.
“I debated giving you some more time, but I figured I should probably introduce myself. I’m—”
“James, yeah. I know who you are.” It comes out cold, but he remains unaffected. I suppose moving Ace, Cole, and Conner into his house and revealing that he was their father instead of the piece of shit they grew up with had toughened his skin.
The Jagger brothers aren’t exactly an easy bunch to win over.
“Conner tells me the two of you are friends.”
“Were,” I correct. “We were friends.”
“You live with your aunt in the Heights?”
My jaw clenches as I try to swallow down the flash of pain. “She, uh... she died. Right before the summer.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. Where do you live now?” My brows furrow, and he smiles. “Sorry, I don’t mean to question you like this. I’m just concerned. You’re a minor still, Kennedy, and I want to know you’re safe.”
“I live with my boyfriend and his dad.”
“I see.” His expression hardens.
“Are you going to call the authorities?” My hands twist together in my lap.
“I would prefer not to.”
“Why?”
“Because my son cares about you, and I made a promise to do right by them.”
“What does that mean?” My voice quivers.
“It means you can stay here for as long as you need to.”
“I can’t stay here,” I blurt out.
“I thought you might say that. What will you do? Go back to Warren?” His brow lifts, but I don’t find any judgement there, only sympathy and pity I don’t want to see.
