Page 60 of Time to Bounce

Which I found really sweet.

Maven could do no wrong in their eyes.

But that smile cut off when he looked at me.

He pulled a piece of paper off the table. “Printed this off the printer at Maven’s shop. Look familiar?”

My breath caught in my throat. “Fuck.”

“What is it?” Maven and Gable asked at the same time.

I pinched the bridge of my nose, praying for patience.

“It’s my mom’s house.” I groaned. “Of course it is.”

Maven sucked in a breath.

The rest of them looked at me like they were waiting for the punchline.

“My mom is, what you would call, very overprotective, although really it seems as if she hates me,” I grumbled darkly. “I’ve already given her my location on Find my Friends on my iPhone. I’ve also agreed to let her track me on the Life360 app. I drew the line on her having access to my Ring Doorbell, though.”

“What are you going to do?” Maven asked.

“Kill her,” I snapped.

Maven patted my shoulder comfortingly.

But it didn’t help.

I was so mad I couldn’t see straight.

“Do you want to press charges?” he questioned.

I thought about that for a long moment.

My mom had gone through so much.

Could I blame her for wanting to keep an eye on me in a neighborhood like this?

Not really.

She’d already lost two kids.

I could see how she was so scared she felt like she needed to take this step.

That didn’t stop me from being disgusted.

“Is it bad that I’m relieved it was my mom and not some random disgusting man?” I asked him.

“No,” he said as he gestured to the front porch furniture for me to take a seat. I did, but did so rather angrily. “I think I’d be more comfortable knowing that, too. Though, I’d still be pissed as hell.”

“I am,” I said. “To answer your earlier question… no. I don’t want to press charges against her.”

I could tell he wasn’t happy with my answer, but it would be the only one he got.

“Can’t say I blame you,” he admitted as he took a seat directly next to me, pushing Dima farther into the corner without a single care.

Dima went willingly, though, not saying a word.

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