Page 80 of Till Death Do Us Part

I blushed. “It’s not like that.”

She wheeled in closer, lowering her voice. “You do like her, though, don’t you?”

I didn’t dare face just how much I did like her. It was impossible, I knew that. But I couldn’t help thinking about how it felt when it was just the two of us in our bed late at night and Vera would laugh, her mask slipping just a little to let me see the woman she was underneath… “I said, it’s not like that. We’re just… friends, I guess?”

Caitlyn folded her arms. “Friends don’t talk about their friends that way.”

“What?” I felt my face burn. “What did she say?”

She didn’t tell me.

“Caitlyn.”

“You’re dodging the question.”

“I don’t know.” I sighed, a hand to my head. “Okay, I… I don’t know. She’s beautiful, and she’s powerful, passionate, intense. She makes me feel safe. And I keep wanting to know more about who she is underneath the surface.”

Her expression softened. “I think she’s a good person. Just… you need to be careful you don’t get hurt.”

“I know. I know Vera and I can’t be anything… real. So for now I’m just…” I shrugged, fussing with my ring. “I’m just married, I guess.”

My heart jumped when I heard the front door open, and I looked up and found a different woman than I’d been hoping for—Petra coming around the corner and into the kitchen, holding a bag and waving. She had a long cut over one cheek, and her hair was a bit of a mess.

“Am I interrupting a family reunion?” she said, dropping the bag on the table. Caitlyn turned back and frowned.

“Petra—your cheek.”

“Oh, that.” She wiped the cut, looking at the blood on her fingers before she shrugged. “Thrown bottles will do that to you.”

“What happened?” I said.

“I’m calling Jenna,” Caitlyn said, and Petra snatched the phone from her hand.

“It’s a cut on the cheek. My pride won’t survive if I have to see the doctor to give my boo-boo a band-aid and tell me I’m very brave.”

“It could get infected!” Caitlyn protested, but Petra just mussed her hair again.

“Were you in a fight?” I said. “Whitecliffs?”

“Much scarier. Your mom.”

“My mom?” My stomach dropped.

“I went around for some stuff, and she went off on me for leading her daughters off and turning them against her, leaving her with no family and no support… anyway, suffice to say tact isn’t what I’m usually deployed for.” She scratched her head. “I told her she was a shit parent and to fuck herself with a chainsaw. Turns out she didn’t like that.”

“Is she okay?” I said. It was a stupid question, but it came out without me thinking.

“Not really. She’s been drinking herself stupid and fighting with your brother. Things seemed pretty rough for the guy, so I’ve arranged for him to be moved to a better location where he can attend classes without having to worry about what’s waiting for him at home.”

“Petra…” Caitlyn clasped her hands together. “I didn’t think you had it in you to be sweet.”

“Hey!” Petra folded her arms. “You’re lucky you’re so scrawny I take pity on you and won’t fight you, because otherwise we’d be squaring up right now.”

My heart split in two thinking about it. On the one hand, knowing Matt was safe now too was such a relief. He’d be able to focus on his classes now, and I knew his grades would improve when he wasn’t navigating that home life situation.

But on the other hand, thinking of Mom all alone in that house with no one to support her… even knowing what she did to Caitlyn, even imagining what she must have done to Matt, I couldn’t help my heart breaking for her.

“Oh, and not to worry,” Petra said, a hand up. “Matt took the dumbass little sausage dog too.”