Page 30 of Better Hide

I clench my jaw and then put on a smile. “It’s all good. She’s probably busy.”

“Oh, honey.” The pity that enters her dark eyes makes me sick.

I dart my eyes to my feet, putting on my charming persona that everyone loves. “You look nice today.”

She smiles. “My son doesn’t graduate high school every day. Mysons.”

Internally, I cringe. I didn’t think Jayden or I would make it. Jayden got into fights almost every day. I couldn’t because I’d get kicked off the wrestling team, but I wanted to. I helped Jayden a few times when he threw a mask at me and said he needed help. Things with his classes got so bad he got set back a year. I spent most of my time hunting, taking my aggression out in the woods so I wouldn’t kill anyone at home.

Neither of us should be here right now. But here we are.

My mom should be here, too. I haven’t asked much of her. This’ll be the last time I come crawling to her, begging her not to abandon me.

Jayden’s mom continues to stand there, her eyes filling with tears. “I’m sorry she isn’t here.”

“Come here.” I open my arms. I try to pretend Mom not being here doesn’t hurt—like her not being here for my whole childhood doesn’t hurt.

I hate her. I’ll never give another woman the power to leave me again.

14

JAYDEN

“What doyou think about a dog, Jay?” Cole leans back, acting nonchalant. But I know him. I see the tension in his shoulders.

“We need a place to live to have a dog,” I grumble, fishing Jo’s phone out of her bag. Hers is the only one we could keep since the cops don’t know she has this one. It’s how she kept hidden from us for so long.

I open Jo’s social media and check the likes on her picture. The post has blown up. There are all kinds of comments, ranging from intrigued to worried to skeptical.

Victory fills me, and I smirk. “Take a look, Jo.”

Jo shoots a glare at me but does as I ask. She glances it over. “And?”

“And? And the two posts I made for you have done the best.”

Jo snorts and turns away. I see her cheeks getting pink.

A shot of anger runs through me. “Are you embarrassed about us, kitten?”

She shakes her head, but she’s stiff. Her discomfort makes my dick spring to life.

I struggle to focus. “Cole. Try calling your mom again.” She’s the only one who can foot our bill out of the country. I hate theidea of going all the way to Ohio for money, but if we have to, we have to. This isn’t the kind of cash I can rob someone on the side of the road for. I need hundreds of thousands.

I reach over to slide my hand down Jo’s front.

“Already tried her,” Cole says.

Jo tries to squirm away, and I pinch a nipple—hard.

“Fuck!” Jo tries to swat my hand away. “You’re such a dick!”

“Fine. I’ll call her again.”

“No,” Cole snaps. “She won’t talk to you. You know she hates cops.”

“Good thing I’m not a cop.” I toss Jo’s phone to Cole and reach over Jo’s seat.

“Where were we?” I grab the leash in my right hand and slide my left down her torso. “Oh, that’s right. You forgot who you belong to.”

---