Page 81 of Cocky Jerk

She blinks in response, and I huff out an exasperated breath.

“You stole my edible fruit arrangement lady, the least you can do is let me bum a cigarette off you.”

“You just assaulted one of my officers.”

“Great, so lock me up. It’s what you people do best around here,” I seethe, slamming my fist against the counter. “You know what? Keep your fucking cigarette.”

There’s a bodega on the corner and I need to get the hell out of here. I go to make my way out of the precinct when Marco grabs my hand. Shockingly, I don’t pull away from his touch. Instead, my gaze wanders to our joined hands.

I really wanted that hand to be the one I held for the rest of my life.

“I’m not the bad guy here, Antonia,” he murmurs. “Give me a chance to make it right.”

My eyes drift back to his, and I finally pull away from him.

“No, you’re not the bad guy. You’re worse than that.”

The tears I was trying so hard not to shed, slip from the corners of my eyes and I don’t make an attempt to hide them from him. I glance around the precinct, looking for my mom, but she’s nowhere in sight and my heart cracks a little more. I truly have no one.

A whimper escapes my lips, and I rush out of the precinct. I make it halfway down the stairs before I totally lose it. Sobbing, I drop onto the steps, defeated.

I should’ve known this is how it would end.

I should’ve built walls around my heart.

I should’ve feared love.

I should’ve realized happily ever after doesn’t really exist.

I have no idea how long I sit there crying, feeling sorry for myself, but when there are no more tears left to cry, I lift my head and notice the sun has gone down. Pulling myself together, I wipe my eyes and glance back at the police station. The doors push open, and my mother steps outside, her eyes immediately finding mine. She closes the distance between us and sets her briefcase down on the steps. Without saying a word, she pulls me into her arms, and I go completely still.

I don’t remember the last time my mother hugged me.

The scent of her perfume wafts past my nose and I feel my throat tighten. For a long time, I struggled to recall her scent. To recall the way her hands felt on my hair. Even her laugh. I don’t know if I’m vulnerable or what the case is, but I need this hug and maybe I need my mother too.

“No matter what happens, you’re going to be just fine. You’re not alone,” she murmurs against my hair.

My brows pinch together, and I untangle myself from her arms.

“Does that mean you can’t get him off this time?”

Sighing, she cocks her head to the side.

“They offered your father a deal and I’ve told him to take it.” She pauses to shake her head. “Antonia, your father has been playing Russian roulette with the law for thirty years. If he doesn’t take the deal, he’s looking at a minimum of fifteen years and though I am a damn good lawyer, I don’t think I can sweep this one under the rug.”

“You didn’t even try,” I accuse.

“It’s too risky,” she insists. “I am not confident he gets out of this without doing time. Now, we can roll the dice and hope he’s out in fifteen, but let’s call a spade a spade, Antonia, fifteen years will kill your father. This way he’s out in five.”

I shake my head.

I haven’t had to live a day without him, how am I supposed to survive five years?

“I know this is a lot to take in, but Tank already agreed. We’re just waiting on the district attorney to get the paperwork together and then we’ll go in front of the judge.”

“That’s it?” I admonish. “We’re just going to let him go to jail?”

She doesn’t reply.

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