Shoulda Been a Cowboy (Rough Riders #7)(77)

Anton slunk out the sliding glass door without looking at Domini.


Her gaze connected with Cam’s and she knew he read every question in her eyes.


“Before you say a word, understand this, I won’t hurt him. I won’t berate him. But it’s time he learns how things are gonna go around here. It needs to come from me, not you, so I’d appreciate it if you’d give us some time.”


Cam left her staring after him. She thought she’d wanted him involved with Anton on a deeper level. Now she wasn’t so sure.


“Let’s head over to the corral.”


“I’m in trouble, huh,” Anton said quietly.


“Yep.”


Even Gracie was subdued as they traipsed along. When they reached the fence, Anton blurted, “Didja bring me out here so Domini won’t see you whippin’ me?”


Cam scowled at the kid. “I’m not gonna whip you.”


“You’re not?”


“No. When I said I won’t tolerate hitting in my house, I meant for everyone. Including me.”


“Oh.”


“Look. I ain’t gonna pretend to know what you were thinking when you saw me and Domini in the kitchen. It was a private moment between a husband and wife you misunderstood and I’ll leave it that.”


Silence.


“Now you wanna tell me what’s really goin’ on with you?”


More silence.


Shit. Cam had no idea how to do this. How did he get the kid to talk? About what? Or did he start right in on the lecture? Just as he was about to give up and detail specific punishment, Anton spoke so softly Cam struggled to hear it.


“He used to come into the kitchen when she was cooking and pull her hair. Then he’d take her by the hair into the bathroom or the bedroom. I heard her cry. Even when I put the pillow over my head I still heard her.”


Cam withheld a wince. He’d had his hand in Domini’s hair, no wonder Anton freaked out, it probably flashed him right back to those bad memories.


“He hurt her, my mom.”


Interesting that Anton never said Dad or Rex, only he or him. “I know.”


“If you knew then why didn’t you stop him?” he demanded. “You’re the police! You’re supposed to help people.”


Goddamn if that comment didn’t knock the fight right out of him. “We tried. And I don’t understand either, because I’m sure she didn’t like him hurting her.”


“She didn’t.” Anton kicked a clump of dirt through the bottom of the fence and Gracie whined. “So why was she happy he was coming around again?”


Because that’s how the cycle of abuse works. “I don’t know. When he was with her, was he…pulling her hair and stuff?”


Anton shook his head.


“How long had he been coming around?”


“Since Valentine’s Day when he brought her flowers,” Anton sneered.


So Nadia had lasted a whole two months after Domini moved out before she hooked up with her ex.


“Mom made me go to my room when he came over.”


“Every time?”


“Uh-huh.”


Cam frowned. Why wouldn’t Rex want anything to do with his son?


Because Rex didn’t need to win Anton over; Rex needed to win Nadia over. And if Rex was ignoring the kid, then in Nadia’s frame of mind, that probably meant Anton was safe. Or if parenting issues with the kid had been a problem before, Rex ignoring Anton would’ve been some sick kind of proof that he’d changed.


Fucked up. But most domestic abuse cases were.


“I hate him.”


His focus snapped back. “Excuse me?”


“I hate him more now because he’s the reason she’s dead.”


“Anton—”


“Don’t you get it? If she hadn’t been with him on a stupid date, she’d be alive, I know it.”


Cam understood the logic, he understood the rage. He just didn’t know how to help the kid see the world didn’t work that way. And he sure didn’t tell him that Nadia had been driving.


“It’s his fault!”


He thought Anton was gearing up to let rage fly again, but the boy started crying so hard his narrow shoulders shook. He babbled and snuffled like Cam’d never seen from the surly kid.


A kid Domini claimed had rarely been surly.


Cam didn’t need a detective’s shield to realize something was up. Something that didn’t have a damn thing to do with him and Domini. Something had gone down with his folks. Something big that little Anton had been keeping to himself. Cam put his hand on Anton’s back, unsure what to do, and offered the kid a reassuring pat.


Which was the signal Anton needed to launch himself at Cam.


He buried his face in Cam’s stomach, wrapped his thin arms around his waist and sobbed.


Jesus. Cam’s emotions shifted from fear to resolve back to fear. What if he and Domini didn’t have the skills to help Anton deal with his grief and guilt and abuse issues? Especially when they both had plenty of their own issues to work through?