Page 71 of Dirty Legacy

“I’m fine. Honestly.” I dry my cheeks. “I wasn’t crying.”

“Wow, so convincing. Is it my brother? Was he a dick again? I’ll talk to him⁠—“

“No, no, it’s not Connor.” I chew on my lip, thinking fast. Money’s not the problem here. What I really need is someone who can get me out of this place. “I’m in a little trouble.”

Her eyebrows raise. “Are you sure it’s not my brother?”

“No, it’s someone outside of here.” Against my better judgement, I blurt it all out. Rowan’s too young for all this and she’s properly scandalized when she learns I took dirty photos of myself, but she laughs it off and admits she knows girls at school who do it. “He wants five thousand in person. You see my problem?”

Rowan pulls at her hair. “You know my brother can just kill him, right?”

“That’s what I’m trying to avoid.”

“He’d deserve it, that fucking scumbag.”

“Probably. But still. Rowan, please. Can you help me?”

She checks the hall behind her, chews on her thumbnail, and brightens. “Hell yeah. I got an idea.”

“Really?”

“I can get us out of here but we’ll need a ride. You know anyone on the outside who can help?”

“Actually, I have just the girl.”

“Great!” Rowan leaps to her feet. “Give me a bit to set it all up. We have to leave at like nine, right?”

“Right, but hey, please don’t get in trouble for me.”

She waves that off. “Don’t worry about it. Connor never stays mad at me. Just be ready to go, okay?”

“Okay, but⁠—“

“No more questions! I got this!” She stalks off. “We’re gonna pay that blackmailing dickbag and then I’m gonna punch him right in the throat. You don’t want him dead, but that doesn’t mean I can’t hurt him!”

“Wait, hold on, Rowan⁠—“

But she’s already gone.

I groan and collapse back onto the bed.

What the hell is wrong with me?! Getting a teenager involved?

But there’s no other way I’d ever escape.

And I’ll have to come back. Even if I don’t want to, I can’t risk getting Rowan in trouble, and besides, my mom’s still blazed off her tits in the other room. No, even out there, I’m still trapped here.

At least I have a problem to distract me from thinking about my stalker husband.

22

ANGIE

“Where’s Colm?” I stand at the end of my wing in the doorway. It’s empty and open. Rowan’s leaning over the banister staring down at the first floor.

“I told him I saw some shady guys lurking in the back yard. He went to check it out.” She’s frowning, face screwed up. “Timing’s all wrong,” she mutters.

“What timing?” I creep out to stand beside her. “Listen, Rowan, I shouldn’t have asked for your help. This is stupid. I can handle it on my own.”