“That’s how she is. She hates Papa that much. They never got along. She wants me away from him. She wants Mama here, too. As long as Mama is there, even though I knew Papa would curse the money and me, I had to help her. I took the cash, Nero. Two thousand, eight hundred and forty dollars. Not quite three grand. Four days later, I was in Mexico. Pretty low of me, huh?”
“You said you paid it back.”
“Not all of it. Not interest. I worked my ass off in Mexico to make twice as much as Mama and Papa needed, so I could. Does that make it better? Does that make me a good guy?”
“I was hoping it would. I paid them back, too, when I thought my father took it. So, technically, they got even more money.”
“And technically, now I owe you, too.”
“You don’t.” I brushed his cheek, but then pulled back
