Taming the Bad Boy Was a Mistake novel · Chapter 17 of 24

Chapter 17: Twelve Thousand

His father got in the crooked sedan and backed out over the edge of the lawn.

The headlights swept across us once.

Then he was gone, and the road was dark.

Jesse stood at the top of the steps for a long time.

Then he sat down on them, right where he was.

I sat down next to him.

The concrete was so cold it went straight through my jeans.

He didn't say anything.

I didn't either.

Inside, I could hear the TV come on, and the old man saying something low to Ruby, and Ruby laughing a little.

Somebody was taking care of her.

So I could stay out here.

After a while, Jesse put his hands over his face.

"I was seventeen," he said through them.

I waited.

"Two guys came to the house. Mom was at work. Ruby was eight. They sat in a car across the street all afternoon, and Ruby asked me if they were police."

He took his hands down.

"Then they parked outside the grocery store. Every day for a week. Mom started taking the long way home."

"Who were they?"

"Dane's dad's guys. The Purcells lend money to people banks won't touch. Dad had been borrowing from them for years."

← Chapter 16 · All chapters · Chapter 18 →

Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend