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“What did he do now?” I ask through clenched teeth.
“He didn’t mean to… he just came home a little angry, he went down to the basement but that didn’t make him feel any better and, well, I pushed his buttons.”
“Don’t make excuses for him, Mom,” I growl. Taking a deep breath, I look up at the gray clouds in the sky. Fitting. “You need to leave.”
“I can’t do that, Mavvy. You know I can’t.” She sniffles again. I hate hearing her cry, but I’m not sure what else I can do. “I’m as trapped as you are.”
“That’s not true. Fiona got out, she’s in the Caribbean. Erica is in rehab, though she probably doesn’t need to be. You have options, Mom.”
“Please just come help me. I can’t drive. My eye…” she trails off, and it takes every ounce of patience and control I have not to launch my fucking phone.
“I’ll head out now, but Mom, if you don’t leave this time, I’m done helping.” I hate saying the words, but I can’t keep protecting her if she won’t save herself. It breaks me every time, when she says she’ll leave, and then just comes back for more of his bullshit.
“Thank you, Mavvy.” I end the call and head back inside, dropping back into the seat I had vacated.
“Everything okay?” Finn asks as I shovel what’s left of my cold breakfast into my mouth.
I shrug. “Need to take Mom to the hospital.”
“Your dad?” Linc asks and I nod. “Well, I’m going to visit East, so I can drive if you want? Or you can take one of the cars in the garage.”
“Thanks, man. She’ll probably freak out if you’re with me, so I’ll just take one of the cars.”
“Sure thing.” He nods. “You know where the keys are. I’m going to go call Alexander, see if I can get some info on Indi and what’s going on. Then I’m heading out. Let me know if you need anything, and I’ll call once I’ve talked to Harrison.”
“Alexander? As in, your cousin?”
He nods as he stands. “The one and only. He’s affiliated with both the Rebels and the Knights. Go figure. Apparently my cousin likes to live dangerously.”
I laugh, because only Alexander Saint would be crazy enough to play that game.
“I’ll catch you in a bit,” he says as he leaves, refilling his coffee cup on his way out.
“You sure you’re good going on your own?” Finn asks as I finish eating.
“I don’t think he’s home. She probably wouldn’t have called me if he was.” I get up and rinse off my plate, putting it in the dishwasher before grabbing a bottle of water from the refrigerator. “If I need help, I’ll call. Thanks.”
It doesn’t matter how many times we save each other, or how much we know about each other’s shitty home situations, it doesn’t stop the shame that crawls up my throat over the fact that I can’t save my mom from my dad. It might just be my biggest failure… that I can’t make her leave him. Not for me, not for her. Not for fucking anything.
I feel so fucking sick with the shame of it I can barely look at Finn. “I’ll check in in a bit. Let me know if you get anything from Dranas.”
“Will do,” he calls out as I leave the room and grab the keys to one of the cars in Lincoln’s garage. I don’t pay attention to which ones, ‘cause it doesn’t matter. On autopilot, I slip on my boots, grab my hoodie, and head out to the garage.
I hit the button on the key fob, and the lights flash on the Mercedes. I slide behind the wheel of the midnight blue SUV and hit start along with the clicker for the garage door.
The drive over to my house doesn’t take long, and as I suspected, my dad’s car isn’t here. I leave the Mercedes idling as I hop out and open the front door. “Mom?” I call out, but realize I didn’t need to, she’s sitting on the stairs waiting for me.
“What the actual fuck?” I hiss when I take in the sight of her. It’s not a surprise she couldn’t drive, both her eyes are almost completely swollen shut, her nose looks broken, and her lip is split. God knows what’s hidden beneath her clothes.
“Maverick, language,” she scolds, and I roll my eyes.
“Fuck that, Mom. Look at you.”
“I know perfectly well what I look like, now are you going to stand there and judge me, or are you going to help me into the car.”
It hits me. She probably can’t stand. Which means he beat the living fuck out of her.
I move forward and help her stand, practically carrying her out to the car. One day I’ll free her. Free myself.
Even if it means killing him.
