“You got tested?” My mother asks the question.
“Of course I did. Helied.He hid it, with Brett. And then he tried to cover it up. Remember?”
But she’s shaking her head, the color leaching from her face. “Brett was a good boy. What he did – he didn’t mean it, Theo. He was sick.”
“My mate has seventeen poisoned scars in her skin from yourgood boy. Your standards aren’t worth shit. Nee, you’re always welcome at the house, but I’m not coming here again.”
“You can’t cut me off.” My mom sniffles. “I’ve already lost one son, Theo. Don’t be so cruel.”
My mouth opens—
“Theo!”
Fear flashes across my mother’s face. Across Nia’s, too. She ducks her head, wrapping her arms around herself as if she’s trying to make herself smaller.
Charles Rivers looks the same as he always has. Pristine, shiny. Expensive, in his immaculate suit and shiny shoes as he jogs down the steps. “Theo, wait.”
I slide my eyes back to Nia’s face. And I give her my full attention, this time.
She flinches. “Don’t.”
Leaning forward, I switch off the engine. My mom steps back as I swing the door open and climb out. My father’s lip curls. “Look at the state of you. You’ve made your point, Theo. You can have a crew on my lot with twice the damn money. Run the whole joint. This little tantrum isn’t proving anything.”
Ignoring him, I step up to my sister. Nia jerks as I lift her chin, her eyes widening. “Theo.”
I brush my finger over the dark shadow, and she flinches. “Go into the house.”
Turning away, I face my father. His ruddy face seems darker than it used to. A few extra shades of red, courtesy of his favorite steak and bourbon. “I’d crawl in the gutter before ever working for you.”
“You’re being ridiculous. It’s been long enough. I know you’re upset about thatgirl—,”
My hand snaps out, coiling around his neck. “Keep any mention of my mate out of your fucking mouth. You don’t talk about her.”
My mother screeches, but my eyes are only for my father as I squeeze. Months of slugging bags of cement around the yard make it all too fucking easy to lift him until he’s tottering on his edges of his shiny fucking shoes, scuffing the edges.
He chokes out the words as I turn, slamming him against the door of the truck. “She’s nothing more than an animal now—,”
My vision glazes over, my fist pulling back. “Thefuckdid you call her?”
His nose collapses under the hit, crunching as liquid flows, spattering us both. His lip splits open. The skin above his eye.
And his cheekbone. In the same place as the bruise on my sister’s face.
All the while, my mother cries for him.
Disgusted, I let him slide to the ground. “You’re not coming back in this house.”
My mother sucks in a breath, worrying her hands as she steps around me. My hand snaps out, stopping her from getting closer.
“You have a daughter,” I say shortly. “And an asshole for a mate who put his hands on her. Decide which one is more important. Right fucking now.”
Her face crumples as she looks down to where Charles groans on the floor. “You don’t understand.”
“You’re right,” I say harshly. “And I don’t want to. I don’t want to know why you’re still giving him the time of day when he bruised Nia’s fucking face. Choose.Now.”
“Theo.” She sobs it. “He’s your father.”
“He’s no father of mine.” I take a step back. “What’s it going to be?”
