Wanted: A Bad Boy Romance by Maya Hawk Page A

anything, but I can’t help feeling like it was a giant slap in the
face.
    Common courtesy dictates that a
person should notify other people in the household when they’re moving out.
    “It’s not like he had much to
take with him.” Lewis sips his wine and chuckles. I fail to see the humor in
the situation, but then again, I’m used to Lewis’ lack of sympathy for Titan.
    I’ve never told Lewis, but I
think what Titan did was noble. In several of my criminology cases, we’d study
people like him. The ones who made a bad decision, acted in the heat of a
moment, wanted to right a wrong. They were different from the career criminals
though society treats them just the same.
    “Did you ask if he needed
anything?” Laticia says to my father. “I can’t imagine he has much by way of
furniture. I’m sure I’ve got some extra kitchen items he could have. Shoot.
I’ve got a ton of things he can have. So many items just sitting in boxes in
the boathouse.”
    “If you want to spend your weekend sifting through junk and driving it across town
to his dump, by all means. I won’t stop you.” Lewis’ lips pull into a frown
until he looks at me. “How’s the internship going, Jordana?”
    “Fine, thank you.” I slice my
steak. “I’m learning quite a bit, and I’ve heard this district tends to hire
interns after graduation. Hoping this will help me get my foot in the door.”
    “Absolutely, absolutely.” He
nods, taking another sip of wine. His glass is almost empty now. So is Mom’s.
    I glance at the bruschetta
sitting on a tray in front of me, garnished with herbs and fresh tomatoes from
the garden. Mom stopped cooking like this after Jerome died, but being with
Lewis has given her a new sense of purpose. Lewis appreciates these five star , four course dinners every night, and Mom enjoys making
them.
    “How do you like the potato
galette?” Mom asks. I shudder to think of how much time it took her to slice
those potatoes thin and arrange them in a fancy pattern. Who has time for that?
    For a second, I forget about
being upset with Titan.
    Instead, I wonder what he’s
eating tonight.
    Ramen?
    Cold cereal?
    I wonder if his apartment is
nice. Clean.
    We’re holed up in this gorgeous
lake house on a scenic road eating filet mignon and he’s scraping by.
    I shouldn’t feel sorry for him
though. Obviously he can survive in this world just fine. It’s just hard to sit
across from Lewis and see firsthand how little he cares about his son.
    Titan has no one.
    My heart squeezes. Lack of
familial support is one of the leading causes of recidivism in the system.
Titan’s incident was a one-time thing, an assault against the man who killed
his mother and sister. I don’t think he’s dumb enough to do anything like that
again, but I’ve read case studies detailing men in his situation who’ve
resorted to a criminal lifestyle when walking a straight path wasn’t getting
them anywhere.
    He’s institutionalized. Hardened.
His record is tarnished. Doors have closed to him. He could have a heart of
gold and the real world would still shit all over every opportunity he’s got.
    “Where’s his apartment?” I ask as
soon as Mom and Lewis take a break from discussing the latest presidential
candidate’s campaign antics.
    “Pardon?” Lewis says, his brows
furrowing. He heard me just fine, I think he’s just
curious as to why I need the information.
    “I’d be happy to run some things
over to him,” I say. “The guy’s got nothing. I’ve got a tote full of stuff from
my old college apartment he can have. Dishes. Lamps. That sort of thing.”
    Mom and Lewis exchange looks as
she toys with the diamond cross necklace around her neck ; a gift from Lewis on their three month anniversary. She hasn’t removed it
since. Believing Jerome’s in Heaven, watching down on her, is the closest thing
she has to peace these days.
    “That’d be all right,” Lewis
says, leaning back in his chair and narrowing his gaze at