“Listen, I don’t know if this is going to hurt or help, but I’m going to be honest with you, Vi.” I undo the top button on myshirt, careful of my next words. “I, uh, I don’t think he’s lying. Not this time.”
“How can you be so sure?”
The words are nothing but a squeak, and my head falls forward even more. I hope above anything else in this world that I’m not about to break this girl’s heart or get her hopes up or…I don’t even know. All I know is she deserves the truth. She deserves so much more than the truth, but it’s all I have to give her right now.
“A little while ago, I asked Ford to tell me about your dad’s gambling habits.” I swallow thickly. “He always bets against the Lions. Every game. If he’s as much of an asshole with his son as he is with you, it makes sense.”
The same gut-wrenching silence follows, but I let it wash over both of us, giving my Little Thief time to process everything she’s experienced tonight, including what little information I can offer her.
“Yeah.” She sniffs. “Yeah, I guess it does.” She sniffs again. “At least it’s worth it now.”
I close my eyes, hating how a small part of me already knows what she’s going to say. “What’s worth it?”
“Signing over the house,” she whispers.
“What did you sign?” I try to keep the frustration from my voice, especially when I’m not pissed at her. I’m pissedforher. “You know what, don’t even worry about it, okay? I’ll fix this, Vi. I promise.”
“Jagger—”
“I will,” I push. “I know how much you cared about the house. I’ll take care of it.”
“I’m not sure how that’s possible.”
“I’m a Harden, remember?”
A quiet, pathetic laugh slips through the phone’s speaker. “How could I forget?”
My hands itch to reach through my cell and yank her out of it so I can look at her. So I can hold her. So I can wipe away the tears I know are falling down her cheeks. So I can give her whatever she needs, even if it costs me everything.
“Do you want me to come pick you up?” I offer.
She hesitates. “I’m okay. I think I just want some sleep.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah,” she whispers. “I’m really glad you texted me.”
“Roman saw Morgan going into your dad’s house, and I felt like you should know what your dad did. Never thought you’d be put in this position, though.”
“Yeah.” The word is nothing but a breath. “I loved that home, Jag. I know it’s stupid. I know I shouldn't care. That I should be happy I might have a brother—and I am—but…I don’t know. I guess it’s finally sinking in. That my mom’s home. The only thing she left me. Is gone. Forever.”
Fuck me. The rawness in her voice. The slight tremble. My fingers dig into my cell. She’s been crying. Hell, she still is.
“I’m coming to get you,” I decide.
“Jag—”
“I can’t hear you like this?—”
“I’ll be okay,” she promises, but I don’t miss the slight sniffle tacked on at the end. “Besides, I don’t want June here all by herself in case my dad shows up again, you know?”
The lock on the front door unclicks, and my attention snaps to the heavy oak door. “Trust me. It won’t be a problem. Look, I need to go, but I’ll see you in the morning.”
“See you,” she whispers.
I hang up the call as Roman drags in a stumbling Virgil. Grabbing a chair from the kitchen table, I motion to it. “Take a seat, Virgil. Seems you and I should have a chat.”
47
