“No. But we both know it’s probably for drugs. That man could have all the money in the world and it wouldn’t be enough to support his addiction.”
Colt leaned forward. “I’m going to get him, Mom.”
The fear in Sylvia’s eyes intensified. “No! I told you, you need to stay away from him.”
“Mom—”
“No.” She shook her head and forced herself to sit straighter. “I don’t want you anywhere near him. Nothing good will come from that. Do you understand me?”
When Colt didn’t respond, his mother leaned toward him. “It’s not your job to protect me, baby. I’m your mother.Iprotectyou.”
This time, tears blurred Indie’s vision. This was why she didn’t want Colt to lose his mother from his life. Because Sylvia loved him. She loved him so much. She just didn’t always direct that love the right way.
The ringing of Colt’s phone cut through the room. He pulled it out of his pocket and pressed it to his ear. “Jesse, you got anything?” He straightened. “Yeah, I’m already at the hospital with Mom. I can be there in a couple of minutes.” He hung up.
“What is it?” Sylvia asked.
“Ben’s awake. I’m going to go talk to him.”
“I want to see him.” Sylvia tried to climb out of bed, but Colt gently touched a hand to her shoulder.
“No. You need to get stronger first. I’ll let you know what he says.”
She huffed but lay back against her pillows.
Colt reached for Indie’s hand, but she touched his chest. “Actually, I might wait here with your mom, if that’s okay?”
His brows flickered. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. I’ll keep her company.”
He still didn’t look convinced, but he nodded and flicked one last glance his mother’s way before leaving the room.
When it was just the two of them, the older woman shook her head. “You didn’t need to stay, Indie. I’m quite okay by myself.”
“So nothing’s changed? I was so hoping something would.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. You already said everything you needed to when I came to your house the other day. And Colt confirmed it for me. There’s nothing new you can say that I don’t already know.”
She swallowed before stepping forward. “I see why you’re the way you are now.”
Sylvia swung her gaze back to her, surprise in her eyes. That clearly hadn’t been what Sylvia expected her to say.
“You can’t forgive yourself for not leaving Gordon sooner. You blame yourself for allowing someone you trusted to hurt your son. So now it’s easier to trustno one. But he never blamed you, Sylvia. So for him, there was nothing to forgive.”
Tears appeared in Sylvia’s eyes, her frown deep.
“I can’t give him up,” Indie pushed. “I tried that, and it didn’t work…for either of us. I don’t want him to loseyou, either. But if you make him choose, he’ll choose me.”
Sylvia’s chest rose on a sharp inhale, pain in her eyes.
“I don’t say that to boast or to rub my importance in his life in your face. I say it as the simple fact it is. He’ll choose me, and he’ll loseyou. And I don’t want him to lose you, because you’re his mother. His family. And he loves you. So don’t make him choose.”
A tear rolled down Sylvia’s cheek. “I don’t know how to trust you enough not to hurt him.”
“That’s fair. I left him once. But I did so because my head was underwater and I had to choose between pulling myself out and waiting for the storm to pass or drowning us both. I saved us bygiving us a break. I healed myself so we could find our way back to each other.”
“Are you healed now?”
