My bottom lip trembles, but my tears stay put. “He’ll destroy me in court.”
If he pulls a stunt like today in a courtroom, I’m done for.
“He’ll gain custody of her, and my entire life will be in shambles.” I sniff up a tear, refusing to let it fall. “I’m better off with him than without. At least I can be there to shield Charleigh.”
Zoe’s hand clamps onto mine tighter. “What? You can’t be serious!"
“I don’t have any other choice!” I exclaim. “If we go to court, he’ll do exactly what he did today, and who is going to take my word over his?”
The lies.
So many lies.
Each with some type of corrupted proof. All the judge really has to do is look at his upbringing and then mine. There really is no question about who had better examples of parents.
“You may be able to shield Charleigh for a little while, but what about you, Reese?” Zoe snatches her hand out of mine and aggressively pulls her hair into a bun on top of her head, like she’s about to enter the ring for a boxing match. “Eventually, Charleigh will catch on and realize that her mother settled for a man who doesn’t deserve her. She’ll grow up watching him treat you like shit. She’ll hear how he talks down to you, and there will come a time where he’ll put his hands on you. He’s come close before, and you know it’ll happen again.” She shakes her head. “I won’t have it.”
I bury my face in my hands as a sob threatens to claw out of my chest. “I don’t know what to do.”
“You get fucking angry,” Zoe seethes. “That’s what you do.”
I furiously wipe a tear away and drop my hands.
Zoe’s lips are pursed, her eyebrows furrowed. “You get angry, and then you get even.”
“How?” I cry. “I can’t afford a lawyer!”
“Malaki.”
I gape at her. “Malaki isn’t paying methatmuch, Zoe. I do a few house chores and cook some meals. I made him promise to keep me at minimum wage, because otherwise, he’d go overboard–”
Zoe rolls her eyes. “I don’t mean the stupid paycheck he’s giving you. You and I both know that he’d pay for a lawyer if you asked him to.”
My face pales.
“No.”
“Yes,” she argues. “You’ll figure out a way to pay him back.”
I shake my head, an argument threatening to come out of my mouth, but Zoe’s fingers wrap around my wrist, pulling my eyes to her.
“Get angry, Reese. I know you have it in you. We share the same blood.”
“You’ve always been the angrier one,” I counter.
“That’s not true.” She shakes her head. “I’m just more impulsive than you.”
Somehow, I manage a laugh, but there’s next to no humor that comes with it.
“I’m not letting you do this alone,” Zoe says. “And if you won’t ask Malaki for the money, then I will.”
I exhale deeply, our eyes locking.
“I’m going to be making him lasagna for the rest of his life in order to pay him back.”
A loud laugh rips from her mouth, and I slap my hand over it to keep Charleigh from waking.
I shush her. “Shhh!”
