The Peer and the Puppet (When Rivals Play, #1) (101)

“Hey, Rosalyn?”

“Yes, dear?”

My words tumbled out quicker than I intended. “I need my birth certificate to complete an application.”

One perfectly arched eyebrow rose. “A college application, I hope.”

Not good. Rosalyn was well aware I planned to skip college. I was already bordering ancient for a pro-motocross rider, so wasting another year much less four wasn’t an option. I filled my lungs with as much air as I could. When Ever’s brows drew together, I remembered to exhale and prepared for the shitstorm. “It’s for my motocross license.”

I watched her take a sip of her water to disguise the crack in her composure. “We talked about this.”

Each time I broached the subject was the same. Rosalyn would say no, and I’d beg until she guilt-tripped me into a corner with tears and accusations. Not this time. “We have, but now that I’m eighteen, the discussion is over. I’m racing.”

“Apparently, not without your birth certificate.”

The malice in her response didn’t go unnoticed. Ever leaned forward as if ready to pounce while Jamie, with his mouth set in an O, leaned back in his chair. Thomas, the last to react, slowly lowered his glass of scotch with a scowl.

“Rose.”

She didn’t respond as we locked gazes. “Fine. Then I’ll petition for a copy.”

“You won’t do it under this roof.”

The icy sensation started at the tip of my fingers and quickly spread until I was mute and immobile. Had she just threatened to kick me out?

It wasn’t fear that snuffed my fire. It was the wound she’d carved so mercilessly. For years I’d been her crutch when she was terrified of standing on her own. But then Thomas stepped in and looked beyond what the others couldn’t and provided what they wouldn’t.

Did Rosalyn no longer believe she needed me? Was she no longer willing to endure me?

“That’s not for you to decide,” Ever growled. “This isn’t your home.”

“That’s enough,” Thomas barked at his son. With a gentler tone, he said, “Four isn’t going anywhere.” His sharp blue gaze moved to my mother dearest. “Rose, you’re out of line.”

“The only one out of line is my ingrate of a daughter and your boorish son. Why is he even defending her when they barely speak? It’s getting to become a habit.” She threw a withering look Ever’s way.

Ever, cool and uncaring as always, slowly relaxed in his chair. Jamie patted his shoulder, barely biting back a grin.

“Be reasonable, Rose. It’s her life, and while we can encourage her to take a safer path, we cannot force her onto it.”

I wondered if he’d say the same if he knew about his son’s extracurricular activities. Jamie must have shared my thoughts since he now wore a smirk.

“Thomas, you can decide what is best for your son, and I will decide what is best for my daughter.” I felt the force of her glare once again and matched it. “You should remember the pain it cost me to give you the life you’re so eager to risk. You’re ungrateful and unworthy.”

She stood from the table and strutted away with Thomas on her heels.

“Damn, that was cold,” Jamie muttered. His pensive tone was the straw that broke me. Rosalyn’s claim was nothing I hadn’t heard before, but this was the first time it had been witnessed by others. Besides, being pitied by two people who were broken themselves must mean I’d sunk to a new low.

Shoving away from the table, I fled.




“Are you going to talk about it, or am I going to have to guess?” Tyra questioned as we cracked open our textbooks.

I had asked Tyra for a ride to school and was gone before Ever or Jamie had a chance to corner me. After dinner, they had come to my room separately, but I let their knocks go unanswered and cried until I fell into a deep sleep. At school, I dropped Jay D off with Dave and headed for the library with Tyra to study for our midterms next week.

“Do you want the detailed version or the summarized?”

“Ugh.” She pushed her textbook away and turned to me. “I can’t wrap my head around calculus this early anyway. Give me the detailed.”

By the time I finished giving her the rundown and had answered her millionth question, the first-period bell was ringing, so we packed up and headed to class.

“I’ve always been bummed about not having a mother, but after hearing all of that, I think I’m good.”

Only after we’d grown close and after very careful prodding did Tyra share that her mom had died giving birth to her. She even admitted that the hardest part was having to settle for knowing her through everyone else’s memories.

“They’re not all like Rosalyn, or so I hear.” A wave of guilt made me want to take the words back. Truth is, no one would have blamed Rosalyn if she had given me up. While she had never been cruel, she kept an emotional distance between us. Not so much that she couldn’t reach out when she needed me but far enough that I couldn’t threaten her sanity.

Tyra and I went our separate ways, and before heading to first period, I stopped by my locker to stash my books. I planned to spend my first period figuring out how I could get a copy of my birth certificate. Knowing Rosalyn, she’d probably already destroyed the original.