David had always told Matthew he had a heart of gold. That he trusted too easily and had too much faith in humanity. Yet somehow, David was the one advocating for Jade. For some reason, he was willing to give her a second chance. Matthew knew his father would never do that for anyone else. So, if David was going to see Jade through rose-tinted glasses, Matthew would be forced to be the one on alert, wary of anyone who might threaten his family. He couldn’t be swayed by her.
“I’m sorry, Jade,” Matthew said, “but we can’t take that risk.”
Kathleen looked relieved, as if having Matthew take her side had eased the panic within her. Matthew caught Allison exchanging another worried look with Patton. Matthew swore he would keep them safe and try to maintain their innocence in all of this. If Jade could charm his father, he could only imagine what kind of influence she would wield over Patton and Allison.
If Jade stayed, Matthew knew he’d never feel safe. He’d always be worried about his children.
Matthew stood and picked up the shotgun. He kept the barrel aimed toward the ceiling and the stock cupped in one of his hands. “C’mon, Jade. I’ll walk you out,” he said.
“Dad,” Allison said quietly, “what did she do, exactly?”
“Yeah,” Patton chimed in, “what did she do that was so bad?”
Matthew shook his head, refusing to talk about it, and motioned Jade toward the door with the shotgun barrel.
“Matthew,” David hissed, “you can’t just throw her off the property.”
Tears began to fall down Jade’s cheeks. Her chin wobbled. She stood up, though, as if accepting Matthew’s verdict. With slow steps, she followed him outside.
“Matthew!” David called out, louder this time, and he scrambled to his feet to follow. Kathleen, Allison, and Patton joined him until the whole Riley clan was back outside in the dimming afternoon light. A breeze blew by, rustling the leaves and the grass. White clouds floated past the sun, giving some reprieve from the bright light.
“Do I have any say in this?” David demanded. He grabbed Matthew’s arm to make him stop walking.
Matthew glared down at his father and said, “If you were in my position, you’d do the same thing.”
Jade hung back. Her shoulders shook with sobs.
“We need people with skills that we don’t possess,” David said, his blue eyes flashing. “Jade would be a useful member of the group. We’ll need her. If you tell her to go, you’ll be making her your enemy.”
“Isn’t she already our enemy?” Matthew said, shaking David’s hand off of him. He couldn’t believe how hard his father was fighting to keep Jade around. “After everything we’ve been through, you don’t see how dangerous she can be?”
David’s face hardened. “I know I sound ridiculous, but when I was in the Army, I had a sense about recruits who were trustworthy. Jade is one of those people. You have to stick up for people who are willing to admit to their wrongs and try to make those wrongs right.”
“That’s rich coming from you,” Matthew said. His control over his anger started to unravel. “After everything you spouted at me about being careful of who to trust, you’re going to throw that in my face?”
“What could Jade possibly do that would make her so valuable?” Kathleen demanded and pushed her way over to stand next to Matthew. Kathleen looked as if she’d been backed into a corner. Her shoulders hunched as if she were braced for an attack, and her dark eyes glittered.
“I’m standing right here,” Jade said.
David turned to Jade. “Jade, how long have you been living on your own?”
Jade glowered, as if considering not answering, when she finally said, “Three years. Ever since I left home, I’ve been on my own. I had a terrible relationship with my mother, and it was better for us both if I wasn’t in the way anymore. It was always better that way.”
“But you must’ve been really young to have survived on your own all this time,” David said.
Matthew rolled his eyes. He hated it when his father was trying to make a point.
Jade nodded. “Yeah, I’ve had to deal with a lot of ugly people and been in a lot of nasty situations. I’m not proud of a lot of the things I’ve done, but some of it was done in self-defense.”
“Which included hurting us, Dad. You don’t think she’ll hurt the kids? Or Mom?” Matthew demanded. “Kathleen is right. We can’t trust her. I’m sorry, Jade, but you’re too much of a risk.”
David looked exasperated. “You’re missing the entire point.”
“I’ll prove that I’m useful,” Jade said and jutted her chin up, as if accepting a challenge. “I’ll show you how useful I can be.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Kathleen scoffed.
Matthew rubbed his forehead, feeling a headache beginning to build. “How are you going to prove yourself?” he asked. If he didn’t give her a chance, it might cause a rift between him and David, but if he didn’t stick to his guns, it would cause a fight between him and Kathleen. If David wanted Jade to stay so badly, then she’d better be able to wow them.
Jade paused for a moment and then puffed up her chest. She looked to the shotgun in Matthew’s hand. “With my marksmanship,” she said.
A cold rush of fear filled Matthew. For a moment, he was back on the highway and fighting tooth and nail to wrench the handgun away from Jade. Her fingernail gouges on his wrists seemed to sting as if they too remembered how hard he’d fought her. Back then, he knew without a
