My chest was still heaving when Mrs. Torres' voice cut in, steady but cold. "Ash… it's no longer a choice."
I blinked at her. My stomach flipped. "What the hell do you mean by that?"
She didn't answer me right away. Instead, she reached for the telephone on the side of her desk, pressed a button, and spoke calmly into it.
"They can come in now."
My throat went dry. Who the hell was she talking to?
Then came the knock.
I spun toward the door just as it opened. Two people walked in…. a woman with a clipboard hugged to her chest, and a man in a button-up with a badge clipped to his belt.
The woman gave me a polite smile that made my skin crawl. "Mr. Rivera? I'm Ms. Daniels, from Child Protective Services. This is my colleague, Mr. Owens."
My eyes widened.
This is not happening right?
I knew that badge. That tone. That fake calmness.
I'd seen it before.
