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I clench my fist. “She wants to go.”
“So stop her.”
I roll my eyes. “You think I didn’t try? She won’t listen?—”
“So tie her up and throw her into your bedroom until she does!” Bambi throws her hands into the air, exasperated. “You and I both know it’s a trap. They’ll arrest her faster than they’ll brew the coffee.”
“So what if it is? Maybe she’ll be better off in prison.”
“Wow.” She laughs and shakes her head. “I’ve watched you make some interesting decisions, but this one takes the cake.”
Bambi is walking a very fine line between honesty and insubordination. “Careful,” I warn.
“Or what? You’ll punish me for doing you a favor and telling you the truth?” I don’t respond. So she continues, “None of it makes sense. But I see the way you are with her. Hell, I see the way you are with Willow. Are you going to stand there, look me in the eye, and tell me that you’re totally okay with Clara getting cuffed and thrown behind bars for trying to protect her baby girl?”
Fuck no, I’m not okay with it.But I don’t say that out loud.
“And what about Willow?” Bambi tilts her head to one side. “Hmm? You’re not her biological father or her legal guardian. The second Clara’s arrested for child endangerment and kidnapping, they’ll interrogate her until she’s forced to reveal the location of her child. And then where will Willow go, after this place gets raided by the police and they inevitably find her?”
She’s speaking as my attorney as much as my friend. I know that. I don’t have to like it, though. In fact, I hate where she’s going with this.
“Think about it, Dem. Think about Martin just waltzing in here and taking Willow away to go live with him. Unsupervised, away from her mother. The one parent who actually loves her.”
My fists clench tighter. My jaw does, too.
She digs that theoretical knife in deeper. “You and I both know Martin is dirty. He’s dirty and he’s greedy. Greg Everett is even worse.” Her face contorts like it sickens her to even say it. “What’s going to happen if Raizo gives either of them the same offer?”
When I still don’t respond, she sighs, shakes her head, and walks away. I hear her muttering something about wallpaper for the panic room, but other than that, she leaves me to my frustrated internal debates.
I was ready to let Clara do whatever the fuck she wants. But I can’t, Iwon’t, let Martin get his hands on her ever again.
And I won’t let her out of my sight now that I know the disgusting ends Raizo will go to just to make himself more money.
I have to protect my family.
66
CLARA
The doorbell jingles above my head as I’m greeted with the signature smell of Happy’s Hotcakes fresh off the griddle.
It’s been Dad’s favorite place for coffee and a quick bite to eat between shifts for years. It’s quiet, cozy, and pretty good comfort food. I have to admit, I was actually looking forward to this.
Not anymore. My excitement drains from my body the moment I see the back of Martin’s head sitting in the same booth as Dad.
Who, much to my bad luck, immediately spots me and waves me over.
I slide into Dad’s side of the booth and pointedly avoid looking up at Martin. But I see enough of him in my peripheral vision to note the patronizing smile on his face.
“Isn’t this nice?” Dad cheerfully quips as he flags down a waitress for a refill. “Get what you want, honey. It’s on me.”
What Iwantis to slap the smile off Martin’s face.
What Iwantis to just go home and be with my child.
What Iwantis for all of this to just go away and leave me alone so Demyen and I?—
I stop myself from delving into those thoughts. It’s bad enough I’m calling his home my home as well. I shouldn’t be thinking about him in a “we” sense.
