Page 77 of Property of Chaos

I try my best to give a nonchalant shrug. “They’re moving in across the road. I think it’s only natural to be curious.”

I want to know if he’s worth tearing my heart out for.

She studies me for a second, head slowly moving upright again. “Is this some way to avoid the real issues?”

“What do you mean?”

“You fucking ignored me after I brought you home in pieces yesterday, and now when I turn up to check on you, your first question is about the Kings of Anarchy, nothing to do withyourfamily. Math not be mathin’, babe.”

My skin burns. “I guess it probably is a distraction.” The lack of tears or anxiety attacks almost backs up the theory. “I suppose, in a way, I’m numb to the reality of it all, you know?”At last.Not a lie. “It’s so much to take in all at once that it’s like my brain shut down, deciding it was better to believe this is all the hangover from some fucked up dream and not real.”

“It is real, Ness,” Marianna says softly.

Fuck.Here it comes. “I know.” I swallow in rapid succession, yet the burning in my eyes doesn’t ease. Nor does the pressure in my chest.

My mom is dead. My brother is missing. And the fucker responsible blames me.

I’m fucked.

“He’ll destroy me if I go back there. I can’t do this.” Gage left for a reason. And if my stepfather’s most loyal protege breaking ranks doesn’t wake me the fuck up to the danger, I don’t know what would.

“That’s why you won’t go alone.” Marianna rises from her seat, moving to kneel before me. My bestie takes my hands in hers. “Evelyn said that she’d accompany you if you asked. And you bet your goddamn ass I’d be there. You won’t face this by yourself.”

“You don’t get it.” They think I’m scared of a simple abuser. That I fear his fists or his sharp tongue. “Once you’re in his web, you won’t get out.” He’ll put feelers into the community, find his minions nearby, and send them after her.

She can kiss goodbye to her real estate career.

Evelyn may as well hand in her medical license now.

“Then we do it by video conference.” She returns to her seat. “I was thinking about it last night, and there’s no reason why they can deny your request for the meeting to be virtual.”

“Unless they argue the connection's security or something like that.” I shrug.

“They did it all the time during, well, you know, those years. It’s viable.”

She has a point. But it’s not enough. “He won’t let up. If he doesn’t get what he wants from me, he’ll keep harassing me until I fold.”

She frowns. “Howhaveyou evaded him all this time?”

“No bills in my name. Theresa pays me cash.” I’m a ghost. Until now. Untilhegave me a reason to connect to the wicked World Wide Web. “Don’t you find it odd that I pay cash for this place?”

“I found it weird that you wanted a private rental contract off the books.”

“And yet, you never asked why,” I tease with a slight smile.

On paper, the cottage is still inhabited by the owners. We figured out a compromise that gave me anonymity and them a commission for being the go-between for utilities and taxes.

I told them I was in unofficial witness protection.

The sweet old couple didn’t ask any more questions when I showed them my scars.

“You need to talk to someone, babe,” Marianna says softly. “Even if you correspond via lawyers, it’s your mom’s estate. You have a right to know how you factor in that.”

“She wouldn’t have anything to leave me that’s not his anyway.” I pick at the hard edge of my nail groove. “I don’t want anything he’s touched or influenced.”

She sighs. “What if she left you a letter?”

“Then they can fucking post it.” They have my address now. The jig is up.

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