Page 57 of Hate So Deep

Escape is all I can think of when my phone rings and I fumble with the damn thing.

Of course, because fuck my life, my heart sinks when Mom’s name flashes on the screen.

I’m not in the headspace to deal with her shit either but I’ll never hear the end of it if I don’t answer which is why, I push to my feet and press call as I walk away.

“Hello?”

“Lauren?” she says, and I wince.

“Yeah?”

It doesn’t escape my notice that it’s completely quiet behind me but whatever, I don’t care what they think.

“I spoke to your father. Why didn’t you tell me they questioned him?”

“I don’t know,” I whisper, walking to the corner of the room.

I mean he lied and hasn’t said a thing to me about it but I’m too discombobulated to explain the situation.

“Completely useless,” she mutters. “Nothing is more important than finding Buck’s killer, Lauren.Nothing, do you understand?”

Not even me?

“Yes,” I say, rubbing away the ache in my chest.

“Good. Is that bastard there?” she snaps.

“Dad?”

“No, the little fucker that’s going to pay for what he did,” she sneers, and I look over my shoulder, finding Colt’s searing glare aimed directly at me.

Why does he hate her so much?

I swear, a shiver rushes through my soul as I mumble, “No.”

“Tell him I’m coming for him, Lauren.”

“Okay.”

“And Lauren?”

“Yeah?”

“Tell him that he’s gone too far this time. If the little bastard didn’t want to get his dick sucked, then maybe he shouldn’t have begged for it. I’m coming for him, and I will never forget that he took my precious child away from me.”

Chapter 23

NOW

Lauren

I don’t know how to process the shit she just dropped on me before hanging up.

What the hell did she mean? I can’t imagine Colt begging my mother for sex. I mean, come on, she’sold.

I try but apparently fail to school my expression into anything other than shock and disbelief because as soon as I turn, Colt stands.

Finn grabs his arm, but he shrugs her off and those icy cold eyes radiate nothing but hate when he steps toward me and says, “What did that bitch say?”

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