Page 43 of Oliver

“Understand what?”

“Being trapped. Whatever you do, don’t give up your dreams, Son. You’re the smart one. You’re everything I wanted you to be.”

“Okay.” I didn’t know what else to say. Trapped by what? Dad? Us?

I knew that I was different than Maeve but more and more, she harped on those things, while my sister slowly disappeared under the censure. Which made this conversation more confusing because ifshewas trapped, how could she do the same to my sister?

I don’t remember much else about that day, except the end when we stopped at the lion enclosure, and I stared at the former king of the jungle laid low by a series of wires and glass.

These mighty predators had fallen. Was this how Mom felt? If so, what did that mean for her? For me?

Shortly after this weird conversation is when I learned the truth of my Dad’s illicit liaisons and everything about our lives became clearer.

Why did she stay? For us?

If so, it didn’t do a damn bit of good because just like that fucking lion, we remained trapped behind a facade of glass, our fingers pressed against it, splayed to reveal the light missing from our world.

I think this is when I stopped feeling sorry for my Mom. She was weak. Fragile. Too fucking whatever to leave the man who brought her so low, and I knew to my bones, I would never make the same mistake. Ever.

While Ramsay reads his infernal fucking iPad at the head of the table, Willow slurps her coffee beside me. Diem and Maeve haven’t emerged which is just as well because I’m still coming to terms with that circumstance.

I’m not stupid. I knew Maeve was crushing on Diem and if I had truly taken the time to see, I would have known that Diem returned the feelings.

The problem is, I don’t want my sister surrounded by thugs and that includes me. I’m not being an ass. Diem is a good guy, but he’s bound by rules, and even Diem can’t stray from the path.

Where does that leave my sister? Someday wondering if the guy she loves might not come home.

“How's Penny?” Willow rasps and I grunt.

Although Willow inveigled her way into our group rather seamlessly as it turned out, it wasn’t without struggle, and I can’t help the burn of resentment I feel. She changed the dynamic and I’m still trying to figure out if it was for the best.

“What does, unh, mean?” Willow says and I eye her with a frown.

She smiles sweetly and goes back to her coffee while Ramsay sighs and sets aside the iPad. “What’s the plan?”

“For what?” I grunt and he raises a brow. Willow taps his fingers, and he turns his palm up, grabbing her hand.

Eyeing the show of affection, I turn away. Ramsay and even Diem made the fatal mistake of caring and now, they have far more to lose. I should know, I’ve been protecting Maeve for years.

“Penny. Your dad. Your mom. Whatever the fuck is going on in that head of yours,” he says ticking off his fingers.

Eyeing him coolly, I push back from the table. “Penny stays the fuck away. My dad goes to prison. My mom is fine, and I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Stays away?” Willow echoes, her brows furrowing.

“Yes.”

“But…”

“But what?” I bark and she sighs.

“She’s all alone, Oliver.”

“She’s also convinced I killed her sister.”

“Enough,” Ramsay says. “Have you spoken to either of your parents?”

“My dad, no. My mom is fine.” She’s not fine. She’ll never be fine. I’m still trying to understand how she could look the other way while Dad did his shit, even if it wasn’t murder as Maeve adamantly declared.

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