Page 76 of Connor

"Nice to see you too, asshole," I shot back, shutting the door behind me.

He finally glanced up, his expression unreadable.

"Mom’s in the kitchen," he said, nodding toward the back of the house.

I nodded, my stomach twisting as I walked through the hall, past the scars in the walls, past the memories I wished I could erase.

I found Mom standing by the counter, a half-empty cup of tea in her hands. She looked up when I entered, and for a moment, she just stared.

Then, slowly, she smiled.

"Hey, baby," she murmured.

I cleared my throat, rubbing at the back of my neck. "Hey, Mom."

I expected her to comment. To lecture me, to sigh in that oh, Connor kind of way she always did. But she didn’t.

Instead, she set her cup down and stepped closer, lifting a hand to my face.

I froze.

Her fingers brushed over the bruises gently, like she was trying to fix something she couldn’t. Her expression changed, her mouth pressing into a thin line.

"You got into another fight," she said, but it wasn’t really a question.

"Not really," I muttered.

Her brow lifted, and I sighed, shifting my weight. "Vic punched me."

A pause. Then— "I see."

She didn’t say anything else. Didn’t ask why. Didn’t push. Because she already knew. Her hand dropped, and she stepped back, exhaling as she looked around the kitchen.

"I’m leaving this place behind," she said quietly. "For good, this time."

I swallowed hard. It was weird, hearing her say it out loud. "Where are you gonna go?" I asked.

"Aiden’s helping me find a new apartment. Something small. Safe."

I nodded. It was the right call. Still, standing in this house, in this place—I could feel it. The past, wrapping around my throat, whispering all the old doubts, the old fears, the old version of me.

"You’re not staying," she said suddenly, pulling me from my thoughts.

I blinked. "What?"

She turned to me, her gaze sharp. Knowing. "You’re here now. But you’re not staying."

I crossed my arms. "No, I’m not."

She nodded like she had expected that. "Because of her?"

"Because of both of them," I admitted.

Her lips twitched slightly. Not a full smile, but something close. "Good," she murmured. "That’s good."

I glanced away, swallowing hard. "You think I can do this?" I asked quietly.

She didn’t hesitate. "I know you can."

---