Page 105 of Forever Golden
“Are you fucking kidding me right now?” I scoff, causing her to literally clutch the pearls around her neck.
“I honestly don’t know when you got to be so vulgar, but I would appreciate you remembering that Iamyour mother.”
“Then act like it,” I snap.
You could hear a pin drop after those words leave my mouth. She eventually regains her composure and looks away. I, on the other hand, see this as a golden opportunity to speak my mind. Lord knows it’s high time someone was honest with her.
“At what point do you plan to stop letting him feed you his bullshit? You’re a middle-aged woman who’s smart, wealthy in her own right, and yet you allow that asshole to do all the thinking in the relationship. Isn’t that exhausting? Forcing yourself to be blind to all the shit he does? I mean, the man’s fucked half this city!”
At the precise moment her surprised gasp hits the air, a powerful, unapologetic slap sets one side of my face ablaze.
My eyes fall shut and the fury that builds within me is unmatched, contrasting the calm I exude. When I finally do meet her gaze again, I don’t even see her the same.
She eyes me when I smirk, working my jaw a bit.
“Of all the things that could’ve set you off over the years, it’s this? Me? Not the man who’s made you look like a world-class dumb-ass? But me, your son.”
Her eyes water and I still feel nothing for her. “I shouldn’t have done that.”
“Fuck you.” I stare into her eyes, hoping she feels the raw, unfiltered hatred spewing from every fiber of my being.
There’s a moment of complete silence as she stares, looking as though she feels every bit of regret she just expressed, but it’s too late for that shit.
“I should’ve known you wouldn’t give a damn. You never have. About anything. Your ass sat by while he verbally and emotionally abused all three of us, all because you’re terrified of what life might be like without him.”
She sniffles a bit, but I’m not moved by her tears.
“Allison Duchene. Kimberly Patterson. Theresa Sandoval,” I call out. “Those are the latest southside girls the news says have gone missing. And if you were stupid enough to give that ledger back to Vin—which I really,reallyhope you didn’t do—I guarantee their names have already been added.”
Her eyes glisten with more tears and she lowers her stare.
“West, I—”
She can’t get the words out, but it doesn’t matter anyway. If Vin’s the devil, she’s his second in command. Being complacent is just as bad as being responsible.
I start toward my bedroom, leaving her standing near the elevator. Things would’ve been easier if she were on board, but I’m willing to do this without her.
Just like I’ve done everything else.
Chapter 39
BLUE
Winning a game doesn’t hold much weight when it feels like I’m losing at everything else.
I’m squeezed tight and lifted a few inches off the ground when a teammate attacks me with a bearhug. The team, like the crowd, is going crazy as we claim another victory and maintain our undefeated record.
Meanwhile, I’m forcing a smile that’s almost painful.
Ricky’s in the crowd like he’s been foreverygame. Mike and Scar came, too. I’m starting to get used to seeing him here, so I suppose his persistence is working. Honestly, I haven’t seen Scar this happy in a long time. It seems that having Mike back has dulled the sting of losing Shane. And I can’t lie and say having him around hasn’t brought me some measure of peace. He arranged his new work schedule to be off in time to get Scar from school. That’s been so much easier than having to find places for her to go, so she was never left alone. He cooks or buys dinner every night, helps her with homework, and hangs out with her before bed. Plus, with his background in law enforcement, he’s probably the best person to keep an eye on her.
God, I can’t believe I just said that.
Nor can I believe that having him home has me rethinking the decision to send Scar to Virginia. I’ve been on the fence about it anyway, which is why I haven’t bothered returning the school enrollment paperwork. Not to mention, now that Mike’s alert and sober, I’d have to fight him tooth and nail to get Scar out of here.
With little more to say to my team than the occasional “good game,” I shower, change and begrudgingly head out to the parking lot. No surprise visit from West this time, because there’sanotherplan in place tonight.
One that’s got me feeling more down than anything else thus far.