I jerked to a stop a little too quickly at the curb. So maybe I was still fuming that I had to leave Alexis’s warmth to deal with this bullshit tonight.

For just one goddamned night, I wanted to pretend.

The second the texts had started coming through, I’d wanted to put my fist through a wall.

Last thing I wanted was to look at that good, good girl and give her some lame ass excuse about an old friend needing me.

But I’d just been asking for this, hadn’t I? Taking the bits I shouldn’t?

My passenger door flew open.

“Where is he?” They were the first words that left my mouth.

Anger ate through my spirit, this vicious ache that took me whole when I looked over at Veronica sliding into the front seat of my car.

I’d taken a cab home from Alexis’, grabbed my car, and drove straight there.

She scoffed. “I don’t even get a hello? Always such the gentleman.”

Yeah. Because she was the epitome of class.

“Think we’re a little past that point, don’t you?” It was all a sneer.

She rolled her eyes. “Whatever.”

“Where is he?”

“At my mom’s.”

“Good.”

A scowl twisted her face. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Was she really that clueless or was she just playing me?

“It means at least I know he’s bein’ taken care of. That he’s safe.”

“I’m his mother.”

I wanted to shout at her to act like it then. Demand to know what had changed that she’d all of a sudden think it was fine to take him into that hellhole.

But once I’d stopped to think about it, there’d been warning signs. She’d always been manipulative, doing whatever she had to do to slant things in her favor, like she got off on making me suffer. Previously, it’d never come at the cost of Liam’s safety and happiness.

Over the last couple of years, I’d felt that sliding. Maybe I just hadn’t wanted to fathom the idea of her slipping into her old ways. Truth was, I probably should have been expecting it all along.

This wasn’t the first time I’d been in the same situation, driving across town to meet her in the middle of the night. She’d texted, saying she needed to see me immediately. It was an “emergency”.

I rubbed a hand over my face to try to clear all the bitterness.

“You ready to tell me what this bullshit is all about? It’s three in the morning, Veronica, and it doesn’t look like you’re bleeding.”

So maybe it was a dick move.

A frown pulled tight across her brow. “You’re supposed to be here for me.”

Right. Because we were just one big, happy family.

“Which is why I’m here. So spill.”

She dropped her gaze, fiddled with her fingers. The innocent, helpless act. “I need rent.”

Of course she did.

My laughter was hostile. “Funny, seems like there’s a whole lot of money that went missing.”

She shifted in the seat. “My momma needed help.”

My jaw clenched. How many times had she used that excuse? Anthony had his guy digging, seeing if it was true.

“How much?”

“A couple thousand would be good…to cover rent and utilities. Food and stuff.” She was all defenseless and forlorn, playing it up.

Goddamn it.

I bit down on the edge of my bottom lip, drawing blood, wanting to fucking lash out. Instead, I sat forward a fraction and dug out my wallet. Already knew what her big emergency would be, so I was prepared.

It wasn’t like this was something new.

I pulled out a fat stack of cash. “I’ll give you a thousand. Your regular allowance will be landing in your account next week. Make this last.”

She pouted before she caught my expression. The rage that floated just beneath the surface. Waiting to snap.

She snatched it out of my hand. “You make me sound like a child.”

Then stop acting like one.

I gripped the steering wheel, and she reached out and touched my cheek.

Too softly.

I yanked my head back out of her reach.

She cracked a smile and something malicious broke out from beneath the façade, voice saccharin sweet. “You wouldn’t go and cheat on me, now would you, Zee?”

My chest tightened against the manipulation, like she was physically sinking her sleazy, skanky claws into my spirit. Twisting and twisting. The way she always had.

“Pretty sure you’re the one who broke that vow a long time ago.”

Her hand was on the door handle, words low with a threat. “I’m not the one who has to keep it.”

Then she climbed out and was gone.