“Hey, Robin,” Owen called after her. She paused mid-stride but didn’t turn around. “You dare talk to me about protection? I once protected you and Ryan—at a price you’ll never be able to repay. I gave you back your life when it was taken from you, so don’t be so quick to judge me from your pedestal.”

Robin twisted around, her scowl a strange blend of hostility and curiosity. “What the hell are you talking about? How did you protect us?”

I grabbed his arm in a silent reminder to shut the hell up before he landed us both in prison. It wouldn’t do to orphan our daughter before she graduated high school.

Ignoring Robin’s question, Owen slammed the door shut, and I slammed my hand into his chest.

“Why would you say that? If she found out, you’d go to jail, Owen! We’d go to jail. That was a really stupid thing to say. You’re getting too big for your britches, you know. You’re not untouchable.”

“Don’t you dare speak to me like that. You show respect when you talk to me. It’s your fault we’re in this mess to begin with.”

“Hold your horses. My fault? You’re the one who went to the cops about our daughter having sex with her son. Way to escalate things.”

“You’re the one who let Aria get out of control. You’re the mother; it’s your job to instill values in our child and to keep your psychotic friends in check.”

“Robin’s not psychotic. In fact, I think she’s right about this.”

“Why are you defending her after what she did to you? You look like that because of her.”

My hand quivered under the instinct to hide the scar, but I forced it down. I would no longer hide my face. I would no longer resent what happened. Robin made a mistake that cost me my face. But I made a mistake that was costing her son. We all fucked up royally sometimes.

All I knew was that I couldn’t take it anymore, the back-and-forth blame, always coming back to me. I screamed at the top of my lungs until my throat ached and my vocal cords were raw. Years of abuse, of fights, of fingers on my neck, of bruises on my body, of manipulation and control . . . all of it flew out in one prolonged animalistic howl. I didn’t care if the whole neighborhood heard me. Let them hear, let Owen cringe with embarrassment. I wasn’t his mousy wife anymore. I was a lioness who’d found her roar.