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I couldn’t look atthe entire debacle with sad, knowing eyes I didn’t even want to think about all the families in worse shape than ours who had coreed to sign all the stuff he needed to get together for al fees I asked hi the stuff my dad had stolen back, but he didn’t sound hopeful that that was an option

I alking out of the courthouse and pulling my leather jacket on over my stupid button-down shirt, when I heard my name called I didn’t want to stop, didn’t want to talk to her, considering I was still bleeding fro that asshole overencoded on my DNA that h Out here in the bright light of day, I could see every line, every mark on her face that indicated a life lived inShe looked so awful and so far away There wasn’t even a shadow of the woman that I wanted to call "Mom" in there anymore

"Jet, wait just a minute, please"

I swore underto do with my hands I shoved them into the pockets of my jacket and tried to keep my expression blank

"I don’t think we have anything left to say, Ma"

She fidgeted with the strap on her purse and refused to aze head-on

"He’s your father, Jet You can’t send hi, but it still felt like a blow

"Yes, I can He stole from me, and he dismantled my livelihood because I wouldn’t cave in to his des I’ to be just a phone call away the next ti to even be on this continent the next tiehim up will finally make you see you’re better off without him"

She involuntarily touched her still-yellowish bruised eye

"He only did that the one time and he wouldn’t have been so riled up if you just would have helped hihed, and it was so broken, I felt it lash across both of us

"Are you seriously trying to bla you around onto fly withbetter on you, trying to pull you into the light If you want to live in the dark, it’s your choice, Ma, and you have no one left to bla to walk away, but her hand onand I would like to say it broke my heart, but I knew her concern wasn’t forin a cell for trying to kill o and he’s in jail, I’ll be all alone, Jet I can’t be alone" The last as said on a whisper that I barely heard

"You knohat, Ma? Alone is better than one second spent with that asshole I’ve spentto make you see that I would take care of you, that I would never leave you alone That all changed when you let the to protect you It’s ti yourself"

I shook her hand off, which was surprisingly easier to do than I thought it would be I couldn’t look at her anymore, couldn’t let her shadow pull me under with it, so I took a step away froet back Maybe the tiood and we can talk If not, I’ to fuck with et a wake-up call I tolerated it for years, because I was so worried about you and what he would do, but now I’m only worried aboutfeeling I alking away froood I pulled my phone out of my pocket and called the Marked, the tattoo shop where Cora and all the boys worked Since the shop had caller ID, Cora was less than professional when she answered the phone

"Hey"

"Hey, is Rowdy around?"

"Did you just get out of court?"

Man, that little pixie was like a pit bull when she had so in her teeth

"Yeah"

"How did it go?"

"Fine Seriously, Cora, I want to talk to Rowdy if he isn’t busy"

"You know all of the hiets off the phone with you anyway, so you ht as well just tell me, so I can tell thehed and relented

"I got a ton of co order The old oing to try to bail hih to keep hi to be cheap I’d like to say he was gonna be there for the whole tione, but I don’t know that it’s very realistic I’ under her breath and I heard her call Rowdy’s name across the shop

"I’ll consider you fine when you stop playing hide-and-seek with Ayden and just talk to her"

I snorted "That ship has sailed, girly"

I think she was going to snap so back, but I heard the sounds of a scuffle and Rowdy’s gruff voice came on the line

"Yo"

"And it’s team Jet for the win"

"No doubt, dude What’s up?"

"What does your schedule look like today?"