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But both his andus to show up later Barrick’s et-together, and uilt trip because I’d blown off all the other , Christmas, Mother’s and Father’s Days I’d sent presents when I was supposed to, called them once a month to let them knoas alive, but I tried to avoid face-to-face contact with them

I was about to say fuck it all, pack a bag, and go with the girls

To hell with ht frame of

mind to deal with their shit anyway All they did was criticize and hover and make me feel like an incompetent ten-year-old who didn’t know up from down As if I needed them to hold my hand to cross the damn street

Barrick was going because uilt like crazy, but also because he had o with me or else

I didn’t knohat the “or else” entailed, but fro more horrific than death, in his eyes

“I better get out there,” Miaon me to eat”

She turned to go, her long red hair flying over her shoulders At the door, she paused “I can stay if you really want ht?”

“I know,” I told her honestly “And if anything, I’d rather you were out of the line of fire if things get ugly tonight My parents aren’t fans of Barrick, and you knohy Whatever they shoot at him could hit you, and I don’t want to have to kill one of them if they hurt you in any way”

A sad smile tilted up her lips “Call ht”

I nodded, and she closed the door on her way out Alone again, I finally stood and cursed the pain It quickly faded, but I was still clenching my teeth as I limped into my bathroom

Ten minutes later, I walked into the kitchen to the smell of freshly brewed coffee and bacon A plate was already set at s, sliced to coffee the way I liked it was beside the plate, and I was already picking up my fork before I’d even sat down

I was halfway through my breakfast when Nevaeh walked blurry-eyed into the kitchen She didn’t have her glasses on yet, and her left cheek still had the i dark hair was pulled into ain a way that was so damn adorable, I wanted to pet her

“Where’s the orange juice?” she h her lashes

“Here it is, Kitten,” I told her Picking up the container, I poured sole slice of toast on it