Page 51 of Better Hide

24

COLE

For the restof the trip, we all reach an unspoken truce. Jo stops trying to run every time we turn our backs, Jayden lightens up on his asshole behavior, and I stop needling everyone every chance I get.

But the closer we get to my mom’s house, the more antsy I become. I’m about to see my mom. I’ve avoided seeing or talking to her for so long. There are too many painful memories that I don’t want to relive.

On top of that building dread, I feel like every other driver is looking at our car. Jayden insists no one is paying attention to news from another state, but I know he’s just trying to make me feel better. Jo is big news. I don’t even have to read the news to know she’s all over the headlines.

“Girl who disappeared for months is back and forced into a car with two men accused of murder.”

We did another plate switch, this time with a car that didn’t even match. But beggars can’t be choosers.

We arrive in my mom’s area in the evening. She lives about an hour away from the cabin with Ralph. I insisted on drivingall day today, but it doesn’t help. My legs are jittery, and Jayden keeps looking at the speedometer. I force myself to slow down.

“So, Cole.” Jo’s in the backseat alone, but she scoots up behind me. “What can I expect from your family?”

“Ralph’s not my family,” I bite. Anger and adrenaline start mixing inside me.

Jo winces and sits back. Instantly, I feel bad. I’m not sure what to say to fix it. Ralph’s not family, and he never will be. Mom isn’t much better.

Jayden and Jo are silent for the rest of the drive. Mom moved in with Ralph a long time ago, but they just got married a few months ago.

My chest tightens as I pull down the last street before their house. By the time I hit the brakes to stop in front of the house, I can barely breathe. Ralph is rich as fuck, and the house is a statement. It’s two stories tall and has fancy exterior lights and landscaped trees and bushes. It’s way bigger than two people could ever need. I’ve never been inside. I just dropped Mom off once when she relapsed and was too drunk to drive.

I should never have picked her up. Moment of weakness.

But now I’m back—to beg for money.

Jayden unstraps his seatbelt, and the sickening feeling in my stomach almost makes me throw up. This is real. This is happening.

Jayden gets out and rounds the car. He gets Jo out and then taps on the glass.

I can do this. It’ll be fine. I unstrap my seatbelt and step out of the car, but as I do so, it keeps moving.

“Put it in park!” Jayden snaps.

Fuck. I jump back in, throw the car in park, then pull in as much of a breath as possible.

I don’t look at Jayden. He knows me better than anyone else, and I don’t want to see the pitying look in his eyes. Don’t want him to see me in this weak moment.

I straighten. We’ll just get everything transferred and go. Jayden has a plan to hop on the dark web and pay someone in Bitcoin to get us out of the country. He says it’ll be fast.

I rip myself out of my fog and stalk up to the front door. It’s big and fancy, covered in ornate carvings. I knock harshly. After a minute, the door opens, and the one person who fills me with dread stands right in front of me.

I snap my mouth shut.

“Cole!” Mom gasps. I notice how much older she looks. She still has bleached blonde hair, but her tattoos are faded and blown out now.

Mom collects herself. “What are you doing here?” Her tone is cold. She still hasn’t opened the door all the way.

I throw on my practiced smile. “Hey, Mom.”

“What do you want?”

“Ouch. Harsh. Not even a: hey, son! Missed you.” I lean against the doorframe, and Mom shrinks back the tiniest bit. It makes me want to laugh as the back of my throat tightens.

Mom still won’t look at me. “Murderers aren’t welcome in my home, Cole.”

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