I wasn’t sure when Tory would be home, but I’d told Cullen it would be today. I needed to distract him. Take him somewhere. Rubbing my temples, I heard another voice in the living room and panicked, remembering the doorbell. Rushing to the bedroom door, I jerked it open and went to the living room to check on Cullen.
“Aunt Bryn made breakfast,” I heard Cullen say as he stood in front of Rio, who was just inside the door. “I ate all the bacon.”
Rio’s gaze lifted from Cullen to fix on me as I stood just inside the room, watching them. Why was he here? I hadn’t done anything to him. I hadn’t called Henley even though she had given me her number. He had no reason to find me and come to my home.
“Can I help you?” I asked.
Cullen turned to look back at me. “I checked out the window, like you said,” he told me. “I remembered him from the cupcake and doughnut shop.”
I gave Cullen a reassuring smile. We would discuss never opening the door for anyone later, but right now, I needed to deal with Rio.
“Go on back to your show, Cullen. Let me talk to Rio,” I told him.
He hurried back over to the sofa and covered himself up with the blanket. I waited until his focus was fixed on the television before turning back to Rio.
“Why are you here?” I asked Rio. I also wanted to know how he had known where I lived, but I didn’t ask. Best to keep this short and get it over with.
“Can you step outside?” he asked me, glancing at Cullen, then back to me.
I shook my head. “No. He’s not …” I paused, hating to admit that Cullen felt insecure and feared being left alone. It made me sound like a neglectful aunt. Although leaving him with his mother was neglectful on my part, it would seem. “With Tory not here, I don’t need to walk out that door. He won’t—” I stopped again. There was no easy way to say this.
“He will think you left him too,” Rio said with his mouth in a tight, disapproving line.
He didn’t have to tell me how wrong it was for a four-year-old little boy to even have that kind of fear. I was aware it was wrong. I knew how screwed up Tory was making him. I hated her for it.
I nodded but said nothing more.
Rio cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck hard with one hand. Then, he motioned for me to come closer to him. I walked softly so Cullen wouldn’t notice until I felt I was close enough for him to whisper and me to hear it.
“She’s in trouble. Place she’s at is a meth house. They’re being raided as we speak. I just got word she was there.” His words were low and quiet enough that I didn’t think Cullen could have heard him over the television.
I stood there, unable to respond. My heart hurt for the little boy who wanted his mother to come home, for the sister I loved and had fought for most of my life, and yet I was relieved. Because I wouldn’t have to fight her over Cullen. If she had chosen drugs over her son, then no matter how I felt about my sister, I had to protect my nephew.
“She needs help. He needs security.” Rio’s words sounded more like an accusation than a suggestion.
I didn’t want to discuss my life with him. He wasn’t someone I trusted.
“Thank you for letting me know,” I said, walking around him and opening the door, then stepping back in an invitation for him to leave.
He didn’t move. “Do what is right for the boy.”
The whirlwind of emotions churning inside me made me feel like I was going to explode. Rio March had no right to judge me and assume that I would do anything less than what was best for my nephew. I had been taking care of him and protecting him since he was born. Rio didn’t know that though because he’d chosen not to get to know me. The person I had become.
“Good-bye, Rio,” I said tightly, thankful I had been able to control my words around him.
He moved then, and as he walked toward the door, he paused. “The kid deserves better than this life. You know that as well as I do. Let him have the life we didn’t get.”
My knuckles gripped the door so hard that they turned white. I glared at him, unable to check my words. He had pushed me too far.
“Y-y-you know n-n-noth-thing about his life or m-mine. You assume be-be-because you became a-a-an elitist ass-asshole. I do not n-n-need your advice. I’m capable of taking care of th-th-things myself.” Although I spoke quietly, I struggled once again with my words.