Page 183 of Shattered Pieces

“Half the block was out for her blood when she returned. You made quite an impact, babe. If Anderson didn’t transfer, it was going to get uncomfortable in here too. The warden thought it was best.”

“So there’s no one else in here that wants Rory dead? No offense, but I don’t believe you,” Hunter said seriously, glancing around. “Half the people in this room don’t seem to like her. What about the people involved in shivving her and putting her in the hospital?”

“Unfortunate overdose for one, the other is currently eating through a tube in the hospital. Kat really lost her temper with that one,” she tsked, motioning to the room around us. “Everyone in here’s just nervous, that’s all. They know Donovan’s a bigger player on the outside, and the fact she got away with murder twice now is kind of scaring people.”

“One, I didn’t murder anyone. My case was dropped. Two, the home invasion was self-defense. They were literally kicking doors in and had guns,” I said with a roll of my eyes.

“Sure,” she said dryly, tilting her head at me. “I’m glad you got out, but I miss you in here.”

“When do you get out? Got a date yet?” I asked, making her grin.

“They’re letting me out on the twelfth. You’re coming to get me, right?”

“I can probably do that, it’s the start of spring break. We’ll stop for ice cream.”

“Like a date?” she teased, giving me a wink.

“You wish.”

Our five minute warning felt like it was only two before we had to leave, and Lexi hugged me so hard I thought she’d cracked my ribs.

“I’ll try to get down next week to see you again. Call me too. Hold it together, you’re almost out,” I murmured, making her nod as she pulled back to hug Hunter next. He said something in her ear, but I couldn’t hear it, and it really fucking sucked watching her walk away while we got to go home.

She only had to keep it together for another week and a half and she’d be free too.

We stopped for ice cream by the lake in Rosevale on the way home, and I told Hunter a few things about Mom as we ate. There had been no more leads, and I hated not knowing where she was.

Had she seen the reports on the news about me killing Max? She knew it was safe to return, so why hadn’t she?

What if she’d ended up sold after all? Was she being beaten? Raped?

Maybe I’d been delusional to think she was happy somewhere? Was that why she hadn’t come for me? Her new life was dangerous for me too?

I was ready to start knocking on every door in Rosevale, but Hunter promised he’d do a deep dive when we got back, calming me slightly. He hadn’t let me down yet, so I knew he meant it.

Had Skeeter even bothered to look? I was starting to think not.

Hunter agreed to come find me the second he found anything, even if it was small, so I let him drop me off at home to enjoy the peace and quiet.

It turned into three hours of Google searches, a few lines of coke that I’d found in Tyler’s room, and one too many glasses of whiskey. Drinking only made me focus on my anger about the entire thing, my annoyance towards Skeeter only growing when I started thinking about the break-in.

What if he’d sent those guys after me, knowing we wouldn’t think it was him? Was he tricking us?

It made perfect sense, doing the one thing we wouldn’t think he’d do, and I somehow went from searching for answers on my mom, to muttering about Skeeter fucking me over.

How fucking dare he.

“That absolute bastard,” I bit out loudly, my voice echoing in the empty house, and I yanked my phone out to call the asshole to give him a piece of my mind. When the robotic voice said the number wasn’t in service, because he’d obviously blocked my number to avoid me, I got to my feet and snatched a hoodie to shove on as I headed outside, climbing into the Lamborghini.

He didn’t even have the balls to try and kill me himself?

Well, he did, he’d already tried, but sending someone after me and risking the guys and Josie was going too damn far.

I drove past the Shed, but the McLaren wasn’t there, so I headed past Slash’s before trying Skeeter’s house, finding the car in the drive-way. I remembered to lock the Lamborghini once I’d climbed out, stalking towards the house and banging my fist on the door.

“Open up, asshole!” I kept banging until it was yanked open, Skeeter appearing with a gun in hand. “Oh, going to try and finish me off yourself this time?”

“What the fuck are you doing here?” he asked, motioning to the gun like I was blind. “I won’t miss this time, Aurora.”