Page 73 of Love Gamble
I don’t know how it’s going to go with Corey’s mom here, especially after how upset she was with her. Still, I guess it doesn’t matter. If Rosalind isn’t being a treacherous liar, they are going to kill her in revenge.
And we can’t let that happen.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Corey
When Damon tells me what Rosalind said, I feel a whole bunch of different emotions. One, I don’t want my mother hurt, so of course I want to do whatever we need to save her. Two, I don’t want her here, with me. Three, I also don’t trust Rosalind as far as I can carry her, which is a big “not at all.”
But that doesn’t matter right now.
I call Mom’s number, and she finally picks up on the tenth ring. “Mom? It’s Corey. Listen to me: you aren’t safe, there are men coming to your house. Can you drive to us? Or do you want us to come and pick you up?”
She sighs on the other end. “I will be fine. I told you, Tatum won’t hurt me.”
I grit my teeth and hand the phone to Romeo. Who tells her the exact same thing, except this time, of course, she agrees to get in her car and drive here.
I don’t know how she continues to make me feel so small with any interaction I have with her.
But here I am, still not good enough.
Romeo kisses the top of my head. “It’s not you, it’s her.”
I look up at him. “She makes me feel like it’s me. I know she basically raised you, so you care about her, but I don’t get that same version of her.”
“She’s different now,” he admits, brown eyes gentle. “Especially after Matthew died. Don’t take anything she says or does personally, Corey. She has her own issues and I think since you’re her only daughter, she takes them out on you.”
“She needs to go to therapy.”
He laughs, and scruffs my hair. “Yes, she does. But right now, we just want to keep her alive so that River doesn’t kill us.”
“Fair enough.”
Julianna comes into the kitchen, face red with anger. “I can’t believe my parents let Rosalind be around Julian. I specifically told them not to! They are never looking after him again because they clearly don’t respect my boundaries. I just can’t trust her, and I wish that I could. But after everything she’s just not someone I want around him.”
I can totally understand where she’s coming from. My mom won’t be going around any kids that I may or may not have.
I frown as it hits me that I even entertained the thought of having kids for a second.
Shit.
Am I becoming more flexible to the idea?
Who am I?
“It’s okay,” I say, taking both her hands in mine. “Breathe, Julianna. It won’t happen again. And he’s fine. Now you know you can’t leave him with them without them letting her see him.”
She nods, taking deep breaths. “The thought of her holding him makes me feel sick. He’s the next president of this MC, the MC that she betrayed! All because she didn’t get the guy she wanted.”
I nod, letting her vent.
“Would you turn against us if you didn’t get Damon?” she asks, but answers for me anyway. “No, you would not! Because you are a loyal, beautiful person.”
“I’d probably just go for one of the prospects instead,” I whisper, and she laughs, the tension leaving her body.
“Out of curiosity, which one?” she asks, lowering her tone.
“I don’t know, because I haven’t been looking at them like that because I’m head over heels for Damon,” I reply, glancing out to make sure no one else can hear this hypothetical conversation we’re having right now, right in the middle of a crisis, might I add. “But going on looks alone, I think Blaze. The boxing thing is hot, and goddamn but that pornstache is growing on me.”