When they brought Veronica in, Casey gasped. He’d expected her to look a lot rougher, but seeing her untamed hair and bruised face made him relieved that he didn’t bring Wyatt with him. Poor kid would’ve been scared to death of her.

The look Veronica gave him made Casey freeze. He contemplated leaving right there, not even bothering with questioning her. But he fought against his nerves and took a deep breath.

“How’ve you been?” Casey asked.

“How do you think I’ve been?” Veronica snapped as she sat down.

The guard that escorted her inside cuffed one hand to the table as he stepped aside, but his glare never left them. Casey squirmed in his seat as he tried not to gaze over at the muscular bald man, hoping he didn’t notice how uneasy he was.

Casey gulped. “Is someone hurting you here? I mean, there’s a way to report violence, right?”

Veronica laughed. “This ain’t high school, Casey. Nah, I’m good. I got bitches in here who got my back. I know you’re not here to see how I’m doing. Cut to the chase. Why are you here?”

“Fine. I’m here about your phone call on the day before my mom’s murder,” Casey told her. “I’ve been talking with that little spy you sent to keep an eye on me. I wanna see what you know.”

“Oh yeah?” Veronica smirked, leaning as close as she could cuffed to the table. She bared her yellow stained teeth at him, causing him to cringe. “What do you wanna know?”

“Well, do you know who killed her? Who put a hit out on my family?” Casey asked.

“There’s rumors about the Voiceless Rebels putting a hit on your mom and your family for interfering with their drug business,” Veronica replied, tapping her nails against the table. Bruises covered her knuckles. “She locked one of their own away. Dunno who.”

“That’s all you know?”

Veronica nodded. “It is. I called you. I tried to warn you.”

Casey sighed. “I know. I should’ve answered. We were at the park sledding, and I just declined the call.”

“Does Wyatt ever ask about me?” Veronica asked, lips quivering as she picked at an old scab on her cheek.

“Yeah, sometimes,” Casey admitted. “He draws you sometimes too. Really loves doodling our family and other things he likes. I wonder if he might keep up with art as he gets older.”

Veronica smiled. “He’s gonna be a little artist, huh? Dunno where he gets that from. I can’t draw worth a shit.”

“Me neither.” Casey awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck.

“So, like, I sent August to keep an eye on you and Wyatt,” Veronica said. “To make sure nobody came after you. The night you met him, someone was gonna try to rob your bakery. I’m not sure if it was the Voiceless Rebels. August didn’t get a good look at the guy before he fled.”

Realization hit him. “That’s how August got injured, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, and he had no choice but to ask for your help. He knew he could trust you. I told him he could, cuz I know you wouldn’t let some stranger just bleed to death. You ain’t got that kind of heart.”

“If someone tried to rob our bakery, does that mean I need to warn my dad? Should I tell the cops?” Casey asked. “We’ve already reopened. Is that a bad idea?”

“Don’t worry. August will keep an eye on the place and make sure nobody bothers you guys,” Veronica replied. “I know you probably hate how I got someone to follow you, but I’m only doing what’s best for Wyatt. If you and your family die, that means he’ll be put in foster care. Or worse. With my family.”

Casey bristled in his seat. “That’s not happening.”

“You need to be careful. I don’t know what their plans are with your family and August can’t keep all of you safe at once. If anything happens to our son because you couldn’t keep him safe…” Veronica gazed around, lowering her voice. “I’ll have you killed.”

How did it come to this? How did the woman he once love not even mind threatening him with murder?

“If you haven’t forgotten, you’re the one who almost killed our son,” Casey snapped. “That’s why you’re in here and not allowed to see him. You’re not his mother anymore.”

Veronica tensed at his remark. “Go to hell, Casey. I will always be Wyatt’s mother. Don’t you fucking forget that. I’m done talking to you.” She motioned for a guard to come take her away, not bothering to spare a glance back at him.

As Casey rose from the rickety chair, he let everything sink in. Her rival’s gang put a hit out on his family and she’d sent August to protect them, but Casey had told the gang member to stay away. Did that mean nobody was looking out for them now?