Chapter 69 - Ryker

I jumped between my mother and Willow, cutting off my mom's view of her. "Don't ever talk to her like that again."

"You get stabbed, kill a man, and now you're lying to the police? For her?" She shot to her feet. "You can do so much better than this, baby." She reached out to me.

I stepped back. Kept walking backward until I bumped into the couch. I tipped my head to the side. "You just defended her. Threatened a police lieutenant."

Mom snorted. "No. I corrected a bad police woman's attitude. I didn't defend Winslow Chase's daughter." She shook her head.

The odd glances, the deliberately rude behavior fell into place. "That's what this is about? Making the daughter wear the sins of the father?"

My mom jerked back as if I'd slapped her.

I spread my arms. "Get to dressing, Mom. We both know Dad's sins. Better start pinning them to my chest."

"No! She doesn't get to talk to you like that. Not in front of me she doesn't," Willow said from behind me.

My mom snarled. She