Page 65

Gabriel

I’m really struggling with the girls. I need help.

After I sent the message to Atticus, I regretted it. Was I about to lose my mind? Yes. Was I near either crying or yelling? Also yes.

Asking for help still seemed like a failure.

Atticus sent his usual thumbs-up, and I paced. Agnes and Beatrice had pulled the cushions from the couch and made a pillow fort. For once, they were talking with me, not fighting.

It took us four arguments to get here.

“Stop making noises,” Agnes said. “You’re disturbing our meeting.”

“I was—” I stopped myself. “Sorry. Do you two remember Atticus?”

“Are you leaving us with him?” Agnes asked.

“M-maybe. If you want me to, I can⁠—”

She shook her head. “He was cool.”

And then she was gone and back to whispering with Beatrice.

At least they liked someone.

My door opened a few minutes later, and my stepfather walked in. “You good?”

“Do I look good?”

“You look . . . Well, I’m here. I’ll watch them.”

I opened my mouth to ask what I should do, but then closed it. Would he answer? He’d never been like that before with me.

“I can be back in an hour.”

“Take longer than that,” he said with a shake of his head. “I’ll stay until morning.”

“Do you really think I need to be gone that long?”

“Yeah, I do.” He eyed me in the same way he had after Jade told me to never come back.

Then he went to join the girls.

Goddammit. I needed advice. I needed a hug. I needed to get out of here before I said something I would regret. It was enough that Atticus had even come.

With only a nod, I walked out of the apartment and down to the street. The swirl of negativity meant I didn’t notice anything other than my destination.

Mark’s eyes went wide when I walked into the bar.

“Rough day?” he asked.

“Rough month,” I murmured.

“Still not drinking?”

“No. This time I am. Can I take a table in the corner?”

“Uh, yeah. Sure. What do you want?”