Page 27 of Wilde Abandon
“I was going to, but the pizza burned and set the toaster oven on fire.”
“How bad is it?”He rushed past her and into the house and to the back kitchen.
She followed at a much slower pace.
He shook his head at the blackened toaster oven.A tall glass sat beside it.
“I tossed a glass of water on it.No harm done.But I do need a new toaster oven.Maybe one of those air fryer things I’ve seen on TV.”
“I’ll get you one tomorrow.I’ll bring it with the groceries.Do you have a list for me?”
She pulled it off the fridge.
Melody stood behind them, watching everything.
He took the appliance and headed for the back door.“I’ll put this in the trash and move the cans out to the road.”
Melody knew the second the back door closed behind Fox, Tanya would pounce.
“You better stay away from my boy this time around.I won’t have you filling his head with things.”
As threats went, that one didn’t even trip a warning bell inside her.“What things are you afraid I’ll say to him?That you’re not worth his time and energy after what you did to him?Because I already told him that’s what I think.Hell, it’s what everyone thinks.But Fox, despite what you did to him, is a good man.He believes in doing the right thing.”She took a step toward Tanya and issued a warning the woman better believe was real.“So if you hurt him, if you make him regret helping you, you better watch your back, because I’ll be coming for you.”
“Don’t you go thinking you’re better than me when you’re standing in my house.”
“You know I’m better than you.So do us both a favor and treat him with every ounce of respect you can muster from your black soul, then I won’t have to come after you, and you’ll get to benefit from your son’s good heart.”
“What do you think you can do to me, little girl?”
Melody narrowed her gaze.“You’ve already done it for me.He sees right through you.You’re never going to change.You’ll never be sorry for what you did.It’s just a matter of time before he’s fed up with you and leaves.”
Tanya glared daggers.“Fuck you.”
So not a worthy opponent.
Melody didn’t back down.“He’s helping you even though he sees you’re just using him.How long before you revert to your old ways and push him away?”
The woman’s face turned deep red with rage.
“Careful.You should think about your health and what little time you have left.”Melody sucked in a calming breath and tried to do something for Fox.“Find a way to make amends to him.You owe him that much.”
“I’m his mother.I brought him into this world.Now he’s a big shot with his own company.I don’t owe him anything.”
“And that’s why you’ll lose him again.He doesn’t need you.He doesn’t need this.”
“So you know, too.”
That got her attention.“Know what?”
Tanya studied her, looked her right in the eye like she expected to see something, then let out a laugh.“You don’t know.He didn’t tell you.”She laughed again.“Maybe he doesn’t care about you the way you think.”
“We’ve just gotten started catching up.He’s told me plenty about his past and how he grew up.How my dad helped him all these years.”
Tanya’s gaze went wide.
Smug satisfaction shot through her.“You didn’t know that, did you?”
“No.All you Wildes are interfering assholes.”