Page 65 of Tethered

“Your mother was weak and died from a broken heart. If pathetic had a picture, it would be a portrait of Shelby Collison.”

Sarah flinches as if she’s been slapped. I reach forward to grab a handful of Judy’s hair, not giving a single fuck if I get arrested for popping one of her hips out of place. Hell, I’ll yank it off like it’s a chicken wing and beat her with it. But before I can reach her, Sarah steps between us.

“You don’t get it because you’ve never loved anyone but yourself,” Sarah says softly, her words falling like an anvil. “You’ve never had someone love you so wholeheartedly that they’d give up their next breath so that you could have it. I think I’d rather be pathetic like my mom than whatever it is you think you are. I thought you were my friend. I looked up to you, and Idefended you to others who thought you were twisted and bitter. I’m disappointed I let you make a fool out of me. Maybe I’m the pathetic one.”

“Sarah.” Judy looks stricken.

Sarah shakes her head. “I’m going to walk Calliope to her truck, and then I’ll be back to finish the rest of the day. Thankfully, I’m off for the next three, so by the time I come back, I will have had time to adjust.”

“What do you mean by adjust?” Judy whispers.

“To you being nothing more than a work colleague.”

Damn, I think Sarah inflicted more damage with her words than I ever could with my fists. She pulls the books tight to her chest and heads for the door, leaving me to follow.

I hesitate, looking from Sarah to Judy, who is now the color of fresh printer paper, and sigh. “Apologize and mean it.”

“You don’t?—”

“It’s obvious to me you care about her, and she cares about you, or you wouldn’t have been able to hurt her.”

She snaps her mouth shut. Even though she says nothing, the remorse is stamped clearly over her face.

“I don’t know what she’s told you about what’s happening with her friend group and whatnot, but she’s on the outs with them. And now this? The thought of that girl being left all alone hurts me, and I barely know her. It should be tearing you apart. If you’re half as pushy as I remember you to be, you’ll fix this before it’s too late,” I warn her as I head to the door that Sarah is about to pull open.

Judy mutters something, but I don’t catch it because the door is unceremoniously shoved open before Sarah can move. With her hands full, she has no way to stop it from smashing into her. It hits her head with a thunk, and she sways for a second before the books tumble from her hands and fall to the floor. A distressed-sounding Judy shouts Sarah’s name. I run, hopingto catch her before she hits the ground. I might have made it, if Porter hadn’t come barreling in and knocked her flying. I just manage to manipulate the air to slightly cushion her fall as she hits the ground with a far less jarring thud than she would have without me.

“You asshole,” I scream at Porter as he storms over to me.

“Now, now, Calliope. That kind of language is beneath you.” Porter glares at Judy. “Call the cops. Tell them you want to report an assault.”

“What?” Judy whispers as she gets up, ready to head over and help Sarah, who isn’t moving.

“I saw Calliope attack Sarah. If you want to keep her out of Calliope’s evil clutches, this is the only way. You know what she’s capable of.”

Judy looks from me to Sarah before picking up the phone and dialing, I assume, 911.

“Isn’t this getting old? You blaming me for things I didn’t do?” I cross my arms so I don’t claw his smug face off.

He pauses, unsure, his eyes roving over mine as he tries to figure out if I know his big secret. He must want to come clean so bad, even if it’s just in hopes of trying to manipulate the ranch out of my hands. After all, he’d have more of a chance, being my father and all.

He tugs at the cap he’s wearing, one with Corvis Wing embossed across the front. I want to rip it from his head and force it down his throat. “I suggest you keep your mouth shut. Nothing you say will change anything. I have a witness to your brutal attack after all.”

“What? Judy?” I snort.

“No. Him.” He points to the door as it opens, and Derek asshole Andrews walks in.

“You fucking idiot,” I seethe at Derek. “You’re going to break your mother’s heart. And what for? I honestly have no fucking clue what your problem is with me.”

“I wouldn’t expect you to understand.” He smirks as he walks over to where Sarah is. “Poor girl. Shame she had to learn the hard way about who she made friends with.” He reaches down and drags his finger across her forehead, which comes back streaked with blood.

“Touch her again and I’ll fucking kill you.”

“You hear that, Porter? She threatened to kill me. Threatening a police officer will land you in jail. Guess that will be like going home to you.”

“You’re not a police officer anymore. You’re a washed-up has-been. A pathetic excuse for a man who can’t get it up, so you hate on women because it’s easier to blame them for your failings than to admit you suffer from big-man-with-a-small-dick syndrome. Congratulations. You turned into your father.”

He swings his foot back in anger and kicks Sarah in the face, taking his anger at me out on her. I scream in rage as I dive toward him, but Porter grabs me by the arms and yanks me back.