Page 200 of Come Back to Me

“Only the good die young,” she snipes.

“I know that’s a terrible thing to say?—”

“Nah,” she interrupts me again. “You’re human, Cody. I get the feeling Elena mothered you a bit?”

“Just a bit. She used to let me hide out there sometimes when Clyde was home. I stayed there two weeks one time until that bastard dragged me back.”

“I don’t understand how he got away with it. How did so many adults fail you? Your teachers… anyone?! How can Harry know what color panties Mrs. Diedric’s wearing but not that four kids and their mother were having the shit kicked out of them on the regular?”

Her righteous anger makes it easier to breathe. “Fear.”

“Of?”

“You know why, Tee. You’re just letting anger cloud your judgment. Clyde controlled the town from Mount Olympus. Controlled jobs. Controlled the RCMP through bribes?—”

“It’s hideous.”

“Can’t argue with that.” I rub my eyes. “It’s just fucked up how we all forgot about that road trip.”

“Never heard of collective trauma? That whole situation was the last time any of you saw her again before the divorce by the sound of it. Why wouldn’t you be traumatized?I’mtraumatized by the story, Cody. Anyway, it seems like Mrs. Abelman went out of her way tomakeyou forget.”

“She’s our mum,” I rasp, the words raw. “We failed her.”

“Hey! Less of that. You were kids. Not adults. This wasn’t on you. Jesus, Cody. Don’t take on a burden that was never yours to carry.”

“He almost killed her!”

“And since when is that your fault?” She kisses my shoulder again to take the sting out of her words. “Did you have no clue about Elena and Clay?”

“None. But maybe that was why she was more invested in Colt and me. Everyone knew how much Clay loved his nephews.”

She hums. The sound reassures me that something is right in my world. “Can you imagine not being able to have a family of your own because your little brother is a psychotic asswipe?”

Pain spears me. “He must have been lonely.”

“Yeah. I mean, Anthony is an asswipe, but he’s definitely not psychotic. Unless you watch him at a hockey game.” We’re silent for a few moments, then she whispers, “What are you going to do?”

“Find more evidence to lock him away for a lifetime.”

“Is there any evidence to find?”

“Won’t know until I look.” I grit my teeth as I think about the myriad ways that bastard has tried to ruin my life. “You know I told you about when I was in the hospital?”

“And he called you defective so you wrote me that ‘Dear John’ because you figured I might share his opinion?” she rattles off sweetly. “Yes. I remember.”

I wince. “Can you understand nowwhyI might let his words sink home?”

That has her sagging into me. “Yes.”

I reach behind me so I can snag a hold of her hand. “Not excusing what I did. Not even asking for any leniency or forgiveness. Just…”

“Yeah.”

“You tried some more with Milord tonight?

“Before I came looking for you. Callan and I went to feed the hounds of hell earlier. It didn’t work. Little shits.”

I clear my throat. “Bet that was fun to watch.”

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