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“Abusive,” I say for her.
“Yes.” She glances at the table, disgrace washing over her face.
I don’t understand how she could defend him. Well, perhaps I can. I’m weak around Cassie. Not weak in strength, so it’s not the same, but she could still hurt me in a way that would scar me forever. And yes, I’d still defend her.
“Why, Mom? Why did you stay with him?”
“I can’t answer that question. It’s complicated.” Her eyes lift to me, filling me with comfort again.
Guilt overcomes my anger. I’m an ass for questioning her. Like all the women I try to help, I have no idea what she was feeling. I don’t understand any of it. Maybe the Julia I just rescued with that child is right. I don’t fear anything. I couldn’t imagine something or someone having that kind of control over me and brutally taking my power from me, stripping me of my strength and independence.
“Brett, I want you to know, you and your brothers, you might have gotten some things from your father, but you didn’t inherit his bad parts.”
“How do you know?” Of course, she’s going to say that. She’s my mom.
She smiles. “Remember that time you came home with a fat lip, Felix a bloody nose, and Cole. He had the same along with a black eye?”
I nod, recalling the memory. I was eleven.
“When I asked you what happened, you told me the Gillian brothers were picking on the Keller’s son.”
“Yeah, they broke his glasses. He couldn’t see anything. They kept pushing him around and knocking him on the ground. It pissed me off.”
“Yes. I’m sure it did. You were always helping the underdog, and those Gillian boys were a few years older than you and a lot bigger, but you boys stood up to them. I might have grounded you for a week, but secretly, I couldn’t have been prouder of you. You wouldn’t hurt an innocent person. You’re nothing like your father when it comes to that. All my children are protectors.”
“I guess we get that from our mom,” I say with a proud smile.
“I don’t know about that,” she says with a weak smile. “Honey, listen to me. I know in my heart that if you almost killed a man, then you must’ve had a damn good and justifiable reason.”
I gaze at her. If not for a moment, she has a way of making things better.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Erica and the others will be here in ten minutes. I was at the office all night preparing for the walk-through today. Lix popped by to fix one of the light fixtures, and Cole stayed to help me move some furniture around.
Brett. I haven’t seen him since Glenn attacked me. I’ve been staying at a hotel. I can’t bear to go back to my apartment. Lix helped me pack a few things and then dropped me off at the closest hotel to his place. Said he’d feel better knowing I was close. In case I needed anything.
All I want is Brett.
I called GrandMark and told them someone broke into the apartment, that he had a gun, and the police shot the man. They said they’d cover the hotel expenses and would send someone over to the apartment to clean the place.
I stopped by earlier this morning to pick up some documents for today’s meeting. I stood in the living room. The carpet had been cleaned and there was no evidence of what happened.
I got what I needed and came to the office.
I don’t ever want to go back to the place where I almost lost Brett.
Stopping at a mirror, I check my hair and touch the faint bruise on my left eye. The makeup did a decent job of hiding what happened, but I feel it just the same. It’s why Brett hasn’t come around. He feels bad. I saw it that day in his eyes.
“Hey.” I hear Cole.
I turn around, hoping Brett is with him. My heart sinks into my stomach. Pain soars through me as the acid gobbles it up.
Cole’s shoulders drop. “He’s not coming, Cassie.”
“It’s okay.” I primp my hair, trying to cancel out the pain.
“He blames himself.”
