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“Guys, guys,” I said. “Can I speak? Since this is about me?”

Both Forrest and Striker turned to face me.

“Whatever you have to say to me, you can say in front of these two. We’re family.

” Usually, I’d be irritated about Striker speaking for me, but in this case, he was absolutely right.

I didn’t want anything to do with this dirty cop.

I didn’t know how deep that corruption ran.

How long had he been working with Sean? Had he played a part in my kidnapping?

I hadn’t trusted him before, and now I definitely wouldn’t.

I crossed my arms over my chest and scowled at him. “What can I do for you?”

“You know, I asked for privacy for your sake,” Forrest said.

“I was trying to save you some embarrassment. But if you insist.” He wrinkled his nose like he’d smelled something foul, then began to speak in an unnecessarily loud voice.

“We arrested your mother last night for drunk and disorderly conduct. She’s in custody at the station for assaulting an officer. ”

“What?” I squawked. I’d expected to be intimidated and bullied, Forrest—I hadn’t thought this would have anything to do with my mother. Jesus. I couldn’t catch a break with her.

“We’ve decided not to press charges.” Forrest said this so haughtily, like he’d given me an amazing gift.

He was still speaking loud enough to echo through the salon.

“We’re not releasing her on her own. We need someone to take her home.

Considering you’re her next of kin, it’s up to you if you want to collect her or leave her in the drunk tank. ”

The employees glanced over at us, then leaned in close to whisper to each other. The other women in the salon fell quiet and sent curious glances my way.

Shame burned through me. I felt my ears flame red, and I shrank back in my massage chair like I could escape the looks and the whispers.

God, this was so embarrassing. It seemed like everyone in town knew Mom, and now everyone knew she was my mom.

I bet the women in here would gossip, and soon all of Lakeview would know.

“I did try to keep this private,” Forrest said smugly.

I exhaled hard. I wasn’t going to let Forrest get to me. She was my mother, but her choices didn’t reflect on me. I had to keep telling myself that if I wanted to stay sane. I pulled my feet out of the warm bath and toweled them off briskly. “Fine. I’ll come get her.”

“I’m heading back to the station,” Forrest said. “Need a ride, Harley?”

“Absolutely not,” I said, at the same time Striker said, “No way in hell,” and Cassidy said, “Ew, of course not!”

“Fine,” Forrest scoffed. “I expect to see you there shortly.”

Forrest left the salon, and an awkward silence descended on us. The employees came back over, and before they could question us, I shook my head. “We’ll have to cut this short,” I said, and pulled out cash to pay for our interrupted pedicures. “We’ll come back another time.”

We drove in silence to collect Mom from the station. Striker parked the car outside, and I moved to climb out of the passenger seat. “You two can wait in here,” I said, “this won’t take long?—”

“Nope,” Striker said warmly. “I’m not leaving you alone with Forrest, even if we’re at the police station.”

I sighed. It embarrassed me that he’d see my mother in whatever state she was in, but I was relieved, too—relieved that I’d be safe and that I wouldn’t have to hide this part of my life, either.

I walked into the station with Striker and Cassidy, while Rome waited outside.

A middle-aged woman sat behind the desk, and a handful of police lingered in the open space behind her, Forrest among them.

I saw a hallway at the back of the room, which I assumed led to the ‘drunk tank’ where my mother was.

“I’m here to pick up my mother,” I told the woman behind the desk. “I’m Harley Founty.”

“Ah, you’re Liz’s girl,” the woman said. “Good. She’s been a handful.”

“That’s an understatement,” Forrest said. He disappeared into the hall, and then returned with my mother, leading her out with her hands cuffed behind her back.

She looked awful. It was barely midday, but she looked like she’d been drinking all night.

Hell, she probably had been. Her hair was frizzy and out of control, and her eye makeup was running down her cheeks like she’d been crying.

Her shirt was stained with sweat all around the collar and the underarms, and she was pale.

“I didn’t put my hands on anybody ,” Mom shouted.

“This is unfair. You’re just trying to ruin my life! ”

“Looks like you’re doing a good job of that on your own,” I said.

“I was set up,” Mom said. “Let me go!”

“That’s enough of that,” Forrest said. “Shut your mouth before I decide to keep you here all night.”

The woman at the desk slid the paperwork over to me, and I quickly signed it. Only then did Forrest uncuff my mother and push her toward me like an ornery child. “Get her home.”

“I plan to.” I led Mom out of the station.

“You have to listen to me,” Mom said as she leaned heavily against me.

“What’s there to listen to?” I snapped.

Striker and Cassidy stepped away toward the car to give us some privacy.

“I’m clean,” Mom said.

I blinked at her. “Mom, I just picked you up from jail. You’re obviously not clean.”

“Harley, I swear on my life,” she said, “I haven’t had a drop in a week.”

“Then why were you picked up at a bar?” I crossed my arms over my chest.

“It’s not just a bar,” she said. “I went there for breakfast . I needed to get out of the house. I’ve been stuck at home with the shakes since I stopped.” She twirled her finger around her temple. “And I know the bartender. He won’t serve me booze even if I ask. I haven’t had a drop in a week.”

I unfolded my arms slowly. “If that’s true, how’d you end up in jail?”

“I don’t even know, but I have my suspicions,” she said. “I’ve been around the block, Harley. I remember feeling a little fuzzy, getting a headache, and then I woke up in that cell.” She scowled. “I know what a roofie feels like.”

“Why the hell would you get roofied?”

At the entrance to the parking lot, a familiar engine roared. Steph’s bike tore over the asphalt, and he skidded to a stop right by us. He wrenched off his helmet, his eyes glittering gold with rage so intensely I could see it from where I stood a few paces away.

“Ace?” Mom said. “What the hell is he doing here?”

“I heard Forrest was causing trouble again,” Steph snarled. “What happened?”

“Again?” Mom echoed. “He’s a cop.”

Striker and Cassidy strode back up to us. “He interrupted our pedicure,” Cassidy said. “So you owe me another one.”

“He came in to the salon to tell us to pick up Miss Founty from the jail,” Striker said. “Drunk and disorderly conduct.”

“I’m not a drunk anymore,” Mom snapped. “And I wasn’t drunk. This wasn’t my fault.”

Steph paused. “What do you mean?”

“Mom says she hasn’t been drinking, and that she got roofied in broad daylight.”

“Huh.” Steph glanced toward the doors of the police station.

“That’s what happened,” Mom said. “Why would I lie about that?”

“Because you lie all the time!” I exclaimed. “Especially about your drinking.”

“I wouldn’t lie about this.”

“I believe you,” Ace said to my mother.

I blinked at him in surprise. “Seriously?”

“Seriously,” he said. “Striker, can you take Miss Founty home?”

“Sure,” he said. To my surprise, Mom went with him, frowning but not complaining. Cassidy went too, giving me a look that made it very clear we’d be talking about this later.

Striker gunned the engine and pulled out of the police station. Steph glared at the police station. I followed his line of sight and saw Forrest peeking out of the small window in the door.

“Come on,” Steph said. “Let’s get home.”

“What do you think happened?” I asked. “Why do you believe her? You know she’s not trustworthy about stuff like this.”

“You want the honest answer?”

“Of course.” I followed him over to his bike.

“Your mother’s not a mean drunk, Harley,” Steph said. “She’s loud. Gregarious. A real flirt.”

I groaned and buried my face in my hands. “I hate that you know this.”

“At a certain point in her drunkenness, she starts to get weepy,” Steph said. “But never angry. She wouldn’t fight a cop. Simple as that.”

“So you think she’s telling the truth? She got roofied?”

“I think Forrest is using her to get to us,” Steph said. “I bet he hoped you’d come here alone.”

My eyes widened. “Seriously? You think this was a trap?”

He nodded.

“What about Mom?” I asked. “Will she be safe?”

“She will be now,” Steph said. “I’ll keep some guys on her.”

“Jesus Christ,” I muttered. “It never ends. Why the hell would they come for my mom? I know we have our issues, but she’s not a part of this.”

“Hey.” Steph reached out and tucked my hair behind my ears.

I looked up and met his gaze. The angry gold had dissipated, leaving behind the beautiful specks I could only see when I was this close.

“They’re scrambling,” Steph said. “They’re running out of options. Both Sean and Forrest. Everything’s going to be okay. I promise you this is almost over.”

“Ugh.” I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him close, pressing my face into his chest. “I hope you’re right.”

He kissed my temple. “Trust me.”

“I do,” I whispered. “I just don’t trust them .”

He hummed in agreement and rubbed his hand up and down my back. “I know. Let’s get home.”

I nodded, then climbed onto his bike behind him and put the spare helmet on.

I wrapped my arms tightly around his waist, savoring the secure feeling of the purring bike beneath me and Steph’s strong back against my chest. I felt safe as we pulled away from the police station, but I couldn’t stop the sinking feeling in my gut.

Whatever happened… I knew it wouldn’t go smoothly.