“Like her getting slapped?” I scowl, still shocked my mother had the fucking audacity to do that.
“No, like you being dragged in on kidnapping charges. I think some part of Sorrow believes she deserves all the shit that’s happened to her. She feels guilty over Alec, so she takes it like it’s a penance she has to pay. But those don’t apply when they come to you and me,” she says softly.
I grab the back of her head and kiss her temple. “When did you get so smart?”
“I’ve always been smart. It’s not my fault you didn’t notice.”
She moves away and takes her seat back on the couch before looking over her shoulder at me, a hesitant expression on her face. “There’s more.”
“What do you mean?”
“More you don’t know.” She blows out a shaky breath. “I mean what I said. I’m not going back to them. I’m going to work with Olivia to get emancipated.”
“You’re sure that’s what you want?” I ask her quietly. I need to tread lightly so I don’t influence her in any way.
“Yeah, Banner. It’s time. Dora agrees. She called me to tell me she quit and to give them hell.”
I chuckle. “Of course she did. She loves you.”
“I know. Now go be with Sorrow. I’m going to watch the end of this movie and then go to bed so Arlo and Marcus can snuggle.”
I grin as Marcus grabs a cushion and lobs it at her head. I leave them to it, the laughter a much better soundtrack to walk away from than the crying from before.
My cell phone rings as I get back, so I answer it as I lock up.
“Hey Banner, how’s Sorrow and Katy?” Blake’s voice sounds overly loud in the quiet room.
I check the windows and back door before kicking off my shoes. “They’re okay. A little shaken by what happened, but they’re troopers.”
“What about you?”
“I’m fucking seething, Blake,” I admit, sitting on the sofa with my head in my hand. “They were so scared and there was fuck-all I could do. I can’t believe my own parents did this.”
“Desperate people do desperate shit.”
“It’s not an excuse.”
“No, it’s not. Anyway, that’s not the only reason I called you. Hold on, let me put you on speaker. I’ve got Wade here.”
I lean back and frown. “What’s going on?”
“Internal Affairs is leading an investigation into six officers at Tempest PD.”
“Six?”
“Let’s just say, Sorrow isn’t the only one who’s had issues.”
“Fuck.”
“My sentiments exactly. This is bigger than Sorrow. And as shitty as it sounds, I’m grateful to her that all this is coming to light because of her story.”
I grunt, wishing like fuck it was someone else’s story. My woman’s been through enough.
“I get it, I do. I just wanted to let you know that it’s being dealt with.”
“And if IA finds nothing? Cops are good at hiding their tracks.”
“If there’s something to find, they’ll find it,” Blake adds. “We know someone who’s going in as a favor to oversee things.”
