Summer Of My Secret Angel Read Online Free Page B

until you turn eighteen.
In that case, I would have full authority to send you to
prison.”
    Holy shit.
    He paused to smile, and I wished the
watchdog at my side would unshackle my hands so I could scratch the
judge’s glassy eyes out. “But as it is, I’m pleased to welcome your
mother into this room today. We had an unofficial meeting this
morning, and I’m glad—”
    I jumped from my seat, cutting his sentence
short. “You were the traitor who called her to this meeting?” A
siren went off in my head, tuning out common sense.
    “Sit, Jona,” Quinn barked through clenched
teeth. His palm on my shoulder pushed down hard. I whined, but gave
in to his strength.
    “And I’m glad,” Abe continued, as if no one
had interrupted him in the first place. “She told me about
relatives of yours in France, who offered to give you a home and a
place to stay for as long as you wish. Your aunt and her husband
own vineyards there, and you will do charity hours on the grounds
every day until you come of age.”
    The judge had gone nuts. This was the only
reasonable explanation for such nonsense coming out of his mouth.
“You’re going to ship me off to the continent? Like a slave? You
can’t do that! It’s illegal.” It had to be. Right ?
    Abe quirked one brow, dismissing my
assumption. “Since serious health issues made your mother dependent
on other people’s help, she currently lives with her sister in
France. We see this as a great opportunity for you to get to know
your biological family and maybe tighten the bonds anew.”
    “How can something be tightened that didn’t
exist in the first place?” I muttered. Nothing existed in this life
that could form or tighten anything between me and my mother. Let
alone a bond. No contact with that bitch and her pet,
thanks. And where the hell did this said aunt come from? I’d
never heard of any relatives in Britain, France, or anywhere
else.
    If I’d jumped up to protest again, Quinn
would only have pushed me back into my seat. Instead, I raised my
right arm, like a good little girl, to draw the judge’s attention.
Annoyingly, with the cuffs on, my left hand lifted, too.
    “Please, take me to prison instead.” My
request came out dry and emotionless. Dead earnest.
    From above, Quinn glared daggers at me. I
cut a glance at him, but then studied Abe’s old eyes again,
awaiting his final adjudication with an empty pit in my stomach
growing fast.
    “I do believe you graduated from high school
last spring?”
    Not knowing what Abe’s question could have
to do with my punishment, I nodded. My marks in math had been
lousy, but at least I did it.
    “And currently you aren’t taking any summer
classes in Miss Mulligan’s Children’s Home?”
    “No.”
    “Then you are going to live with your
family.” The bang of his little wooden hammer on the small round
plate sealed the matter. “Now get out of my courtroom and don’t
come back.”
    I was so screwed.
    When they started making plans over my head,
and voices mixed to a painful blur, Quinn let me wait outside the
room. I had to promise not to run off or pick a fight with another
officer before he would even open the door for me. I restrained
myself from giving him the finger and slipped out.
    Elbows propped on my bent knees, I sat on
the floor in the hallway with my back resting against the windowed
wall. The chain of the cuffs rattled mockingly. With them on, I
wouldn’t get far on an escape for fresh air. I might as well
surrender to my horrendous fate.
    Utterly miserable and confused about my new
future, and no less annoyed by the glances of passing officials, my
head dipped back, my gaze focusing on the blank ceiling. Out of
habit, when I was by myself—and stuck knee-deep in shit—I started
humming a song I didn’t know the name of. It always had a strangely
soothing effect on me. Odds were I had made up the melody myself
over the years. But I’d hummed, whistled or tapped the rhythm with
my fingers so