Page 44

Agnes stopped. “If it’s fucking basic, I’ll riot.”

I blinked at her curse words. Gabriel had never hid his words, but I thought he would try around his kids.

“It’s not basic. It’s sugary and brand name. I have standards, you know.”

Agnes considered it. After a long pause, she plopped herself right at the table.

“Feed me then.”

“You ever heard of the word please?”

“‘Please’ is for people who deserve it.”

“Excuse me, I hold your life in my hands because I have the cereal you want.”

“You haven’t shown me shit.”

With a roll of my eyes, I opened the cabinet and pulled out the sugary cereal that I’d promised. Agnes stared. I wondered if her mother was the kind of parent who never gave their kids sugar.

It wasn’t a great idea to shake this kid up so early, but she was angry and I wanted her to like me.

“Please.” It was all Agnes said, but I knew I’d won. I also knew it was better not to egg her on, so I silently got a bowl and set it in front of her. “Thanks.”

She dug in immediately and I gave her a few minutes to get through her bowl before I said anything else.

“Does your dad know you’re here?”

“Don’t call him that.”

“Fine. Then does Gabriel know you’re here?”

“No.”

“He’s asleep, isn’t he?”

“Yes.”

It wasn’t a good idea for me to know the inner workings of Gabriel’s relationship with his kids. I had no place there, and I was so angry with him that it was tempting to blow up everything.

But I also knew that this was a real child with real feelings.

Something was wrong, and while I wanted to throttle Gabriel and make him never see the light of day again, I was worried about this little girl who had run out of her home.

He had been so sure that he would be a terrible father. Looking at his daughter, it was hard not to agree with him. So, what changed? What made him decide to go for this?

I didn’t know, and that bothered me. Back when he lived here, there wasn’t anything that I didn’t know about him.

Agnes finished her bowl of cereal and stood. “I’m gonna go find someone else to ask to call the cops.”

“Unfortunately, your best option here is Sheriff Mike, and I don’t know if he would take you away from Gabriel.”

“Does he know him too?”

“Yes.”

Agnes muttered something under her breath, and I had a feeling it was a colorful string of curse words.

“Sorry, kid. Everyone in this town knows everyone.”