Total pages in book: 39
Estimated words: 36209 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 181(@200wpm)___ 145(@250wpm)___ 121(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36209 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 181(@200wpm)___ 145(@250wpm)___ 121(@300wpm)
“Mom, don’t—”
“Mitch is on his way already to post his bail.” Mom cuts me off. “I’m going to go meet them.”
“Mitch is paying his bond?” My mom pauses. “Mom.” I groan. “Don’t waste your money. It won’t hurt to let him sit there for a few days. Might sober him up.” I don’t know how many more times she has to go through this kind of stuff with my father until she learns he’s never going to change.
“He is your father,” she hisses at me. This is why I hate them together. My mother is so dramatic when it comes to him.
“You don’t have the money,” I remind her.
“That’s why I called you.”
“I’m not bailing him out.” I put my hands up and step back.
“I didn’t have a choice, Levy.” She steps toward me. My heart sinks. I turn, heading toward my bedroom; Mom follows after me. I freeze when I make it to my open bedroom door. My room has been ransacked. The box I keep hidden in the back of my closet is dumped out on my bed. Not a single dollar is left. I walk over and pick up the checkbook I’ve never used for my account and can see one has been ripped out. I turn around.
“He’s your father.”
“And you’re supposed to be my mother.” Tears burn at the back of my eyes, but I hold them in. I don’t cry. Ever. Not since I was a little girl.
“Levy.”
“No, Mom!” I shout. “This is bullshit. You stole from me.” There are so many more hurtful things I want to say. I hold back, knowing that once I open the floodgate, there will be no going back. To be honest, I don’t even know how I’ll ever recover from this betrayal by her.
“You will not speak to me that way in my house.” I pay half of the rent, but I'm not on the lease.
“That’s rich with the things your husband shouts around here when the two of you are fighting.”
Her expression shifts to one of fury. “And you know what I do when he does that shit? I toss him out.” Pretty sure he storms out on his own, but whatever. “I’m going to meet your father. I think it would be best if you weren't here when we got back.”
I stand there in shock as she turns and leaves. Did she honestly just kick me out after stealing every penny I have? A few seconds later, I hear the front door slam closed. I drop down onto my bed, taking a deep breath.
“I won’t cry,” I tell myself. I have no fucking clue what I’m going to do now without a dollar to my name, no place to go, and a best friend halfway around the world.
10
EROS
“Lev was right. You’re an asshole.” Julie holds my credit card out for me to take.
“I needed time.”
“I don’t like it.” Julie folds her arms over her chest. “She’s sweet. I didn’t see that coming from the back the fuck off vibe she has going on.”
“Very sweet,” I agree. Lev wears that glare of hers like armor. "Do you think I would ask you to do something if it wasn't necessary or important?"
“No.” Julie sighs. "That's why I initially agreed."
Julie taking Lev out after work was a last-minute idea. They'd been working all day, and Lev seemed to be enjoying herself. It had been hell to stay away from her, but it was for the best. I was pissed. It’s been a very long time since I experienced such a level of anger before. I wanted to wring her father's neck myself.
Tom is a real piece of work. I don’t think Lev or her mother know the half of it. By half of it, I mean the second family he has across town.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I’m heading home.”
“See you tomorrow.” I say this to Julie as she leaves through my office door.
I should go upstairs and beat the shit out of my punching bag. Maybe that would take the edge off a bit. My place occupies the entire top floor, with a portion also extending to the roof. The view is beautiful at night. It was one of the reasons I’d gotten the place.
One of the things I miss about home is being outside and all the openness around you. You don’t get that living in the city, but when I get out there at night, being on the edge of the city next to the river gives me a taste of it.
Even that isn’t going to take my edge off right now. I grab my keys.
“Are you going up or down?” Kate asks when I exit my office. She is perched on one of the tables fiddling with her phone.
“Down.”
“Figures.” She slips off the table. “You talk to Noland yet?”