Page 55 of Piston

I sigh. Coopers at a friend’s tonight, which means I won’t see Piston, and I’ll be all alone.

Something I used to pray for but now hate.

I go to the fridge to see what I can cook—and seems my husband decided to fill it without telling me.

Someone bangs on the door, and I groan.

“Great, this could be one of two people.” The banging intensifies, and I stomp over to my door. “Piston’s father or Christy….”

“Open up, you waste of space bitch!”

Huh, Christy, it is.

Now, why was I hoping it was the first one?

Maybe so I could kick him in the?—

“Open the fucking door, Natalie!” she shouts again, and I snort, doing as she asks just as she goes to bang again.

She stumbles, just catching herself, making me smirk as our eyes connect. The hatred in hers doesn’t really surprise me, though the knife in her hand does.

I raise a brow at her. “Really, you came here to stab me, your own stepdaughter?”

Her nostrils flare, and she snaps, “Maybe I did.”

I snort. “And why would that be, dear step-monster?”

Her eyes cloud over, and a little voice inside my head is telling me not to antagonize the crazy woman with a knife, but the larger part of my brain is telling me to hit her.

“I told you to stay the hell away from my son; now go in that shithole you call a home and get him before I ram this knife into your heart!” she growls.

I laugh before stating, “Okay, first of all, I don’t have a heart; you and my father ensured that, and secondly, Cooper’s at Trevor’s house. It’s his birthday sleepover.” Her mouth parts in shock. I laugh again. “Seriously, you’rethatderanged you’ll come to my home, insult me, and threaten me over my little brother, when you don’t even know where he is?” I clap my hands, and I swear I can see steam as I sneer, “Mother of the fricking year!”

She screeches and throws the knife on the ground before tackling me, sending us both down with athump.

I grunt at the impact as she punches me in the face, her engagement ring, the one my father bought her, cutting my brow.

I block the hand going for my throat, bring my palm up, and smack it against her nose, causing her to scream. Blood drips instantly, and she goes to hit me again, but I lurch upward, smashing my forehead against her chin, making her cry out in pain. Suddenly, I feel dizzy.

Crap, that seemed like a good idea….

The dizziness throws me off, and I can’t block her fist to my chest, making me gasp for air.

I hear, “What the fuck?” shouted in the background.

Christy screams as she’s dragged off me by her hair, and I roll on my side to see Piston leaning over her.

“You come near my fucking wife again, and I’ll kill you, bitch,” he sneers in her face, holding the knife she threatened me with.

Her eyes are wide and is that…? Yep, she just pissed herself.

I roll my eyes, then groan at the pain that shoots in my head. I hold my head as Piston rushes to me, giving Christy the chance to make a run for it.

Wuss.

I cough again as I try to get up, my body aching. Piston's arms gently go around my waist, helping me stand. I grip his arm for steadiness, and croak, “That headbutt thing looked a lot easier in the movies.”

He groans, putting his forehead on my head as I grip his shirt, and he mumbles, “Seriously, Diamond?”