My eyes moved from the phone back to him. “Mace.” His gaze sliced to mine.
“Those ties have been severed,” Mace said, his voice trembling with fury.
“Mace.”
“You’re not phonin’ that bitch again. I don’t care if she’s dyin’.”
“Mace.”
He exploded, “You’re their f**king daughter! Do they not know how f**king precious you are?” Oh dear.
I wasn’t sure this was about me.
Wel , maybe it was mostly about me but it wasn’t al about me.
I got close to his tense body and put my hands to his neck.
“Mace, look at me.”
His eyes tilted down but his head didn’t. His chest was moving in and out rapidly like he was breathing heavily.
“She cal ed you selfish,” he told me.
“Forget it.”
“Said you didn’t think about her when you left.”
“I heard her,” I whispered.
“She ever think of you when he was abusin’ you?”
“Mace.”
“Answer me, Stel a.”
“No,” I said quickly.
“She ever protect you?”
“No.”
“She used you to protect herself.”
I got closer. “Mace, don’t –”
“She did, didn’t she?”
“Yes,” I said quietly.
“She’s worse than your Dad.”
“She’s not. She’s just weak.”
“Don’t f**kin’ defend her. She’s worse.”
I squeezed his neck. “Okay. She’s worse.” My hands slid up to the sides of his head into the hair behind his ears and I pressed with my fingers until his head tilted down. “Don’t be angry. They’re not worth it.”
“I gave them six thousand dol ars.”