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“Thank you. It’s not a crime to abandon someone who repeatedly lets you down, even if you’re related. But it sounds like she needs you.”

“Let me ask you a question. What would you do if your mom ripped your world apart and used you to get what she wanted? Would you stick around? Keep giving her chances? Let her take whatever she liked until there was nothing left?”

The lights around the room flickered. “I have an originator, not a mom, but I understand your meaning. If someone I trusted had betrayed me, I would find it hard to keep them in my life. I would still try.”

“Aren’t you a saint. But that’s why she’s inside and I don’t go to see her. Mom blew her chances. She never loved me. She used me.”

“Yet you make time to attend the monthly briefings with an expensive rehabilitation prison that you pay for. That suggests a degree of investment.”

“Because I’m a dumb ass. She’s a dumb ass, and she raised me to be a dumb ass. That’s hard to change.”

“No one likes to change. I recently had an upgrade to my system. I didn’t enjoy that one bit, but now I’m two percent more efficient.”

“You lost me.”

“Sometimes, you have to try different things to see what will make you change for the better.”

“I’m efficient enough. And I’ve done enough changing.”

“And I can confidently assess that you’re not a dumb ass. You have the highest catch and retrieval record of anyone in this group.”

“Then I’m a lucky dumb ass.”

“That’s unacceptable. You’re a clever dumb ass. Let’s say it together. I’m a clever dumb ass.”

“Nope.”

“Say it. Positive mantras work.”

“No, they don’t. And it’s not a positive mantra. It’s crap.”

“I’m a clever dumb ass.”

Eden glared at the wall.

“Eden, you’re a clever dumb ass. I know it, you know it, and your teammates know it. What are you?”

She snorted a laugh. “Fine. I’m a clever dumb ass.”

“One more time. This time, let’s shout it.”

“Enough!”

“Say it, Eden.”

“You’re a dick.”

“And you’re welcome.”

“Thanks, ELVIS.” He could be annoying, but he was also sort of cool to have around. And he saw straight through her. She couldn’t keep leaving the door open for her mom to sneak in her poison. She should slam it shut and run away. But it was so damn hard to leave that all behind.

“Blaze is outside the door,” ELVIS said.

“Let him in. We need to talk about our trip to the sanctuary.”

“You also have an incoming message,” ELVIS said.

“From the prison?” She didn’t want Blaze knowing about her mom’s situation.