Page 97 of Lightning Angel

She nodded with a smile. “Yes, so don’t ever feel hesitant about sharing anything with me.”

“I promise.” Tristan clasped a hand over hers on his cheek. “So, what I was saying is that, after your mom and Jude left your house, I followed them after making sure you’d be alright. And what I heard, it’s gonna shock you as it did me.”

That tickled her curiosity. “What did you hear?”

Tristan watched her silent anticipation for a moment before he said, his voice soft, “Your mother lied to youabout why Jude never told you the truth; that it had beenheridea.” His face grew serious. “Frankly, your motheropposedthe idea of Jude deceiving you, from the very start, but he took a fancy to you and knew that the truth would jeopardize his chance with you. So he rebelled against her and went on with his deceit. Sure, your mother loves him, but she had no part in his deceit. The reason she defended him in front of you was that telling you the truth had been her idea, and he had threatened not to forgive her if his relationship with you fell apart. And since then, he hasn’t talked to her again. I heard her talking with her assistant about it when I checked in on her a few days later.”

Alexa didn’t know what to say. It sounded like a fantasy, and she didn’t want to believe it. But this was Tristan. She trusted him. He wouldn’t lie to her, ofthatshe was certain. So, as much as she didn’t want to accept it, she knew it was the truth. A truth that stung.

Her mother still cared for her.

Longing stirred in her heart. The old Alexa who yearned for her mother’s love slowly rose, but the new Alexa beat it down. No, she couldn’t feel this.

“Alexa?” Tristan’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

“I’m fine.”

“Don’t lie to me. I can see you’re not.”

She forced a smile and looked into his eyes. “It stuns me how well you can read me sometimes.”

Tristan tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “And I’mreadingyour longing toward your mother.”

Alexa clenched her jaw and looked away. “I don’t wanna feel it.”

“But you can’t stop it either, love.”

Love.Immense warmth washed over her and she closed her eyes to the pleasant feeling. She pondered his words. He was right, she couldn’t.

Alexa didn’t hate her mother, as much as she told herself she did. She was wounded, and the scar throbbed every time she saw the display of a mother’s affection or simply at the mention of her own mother.

Deep inside, she’d hoped for a second chance with her. But her heart had been too bitter to admit it, especially after seeing her at the funeral and that day at their front porch. Until now. Hearing this from Tristan thawed something in her.

Alexa buried her face back in Tristan’s chest as tears burned beneath her closed lids. He didn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around her. He saw her vulnerability through her defiance, and there was no hiding from him.

“What do I do?” she mumbled against him.

Tristan’s fingers stroked her hair. “How about you and Cassie pay her a visit?”

17

Better Half

“Absolutely not!”

Alexa was unsurprised. She knew Cassie would disagree the moment she mentioned visiting their mother. But she tried anyway.

“But Cass—”

“You can go if you like, Lex, but I’m not coming,” Cassie said in a tone that left no room for argument. “Don’t think of trying to convince me.”

“But I don’t want to go alone,” she tried again.

“Take Tristan, then,” Cassie said, spreading her hands. “I’m sure he’ll be happy to be your escort.”

“Why?” Alexa bit out, slightly frustrated. “Why won’t you give her a chance after I told you what Tristan witnessed? Don’t you believe him?”

Cassie sighed, pushedaside her laptop on the bed, and reached for Alexa’s hand. “Of course, I believe him, Lex,” she said softly. “It’s just our mother… I can’t—I can’t bring myself to forgive her after how she broke me. Iamhealing from the heartbreak Brandon caused, but the oneshedid to us, I haven’t healed from it yet. Perhaps it’s because she was the first person to break my heart—break it and crush it into pieces the day she rejected us.” She closed her eyes, squeezing them shut. “I justcan’t,Lex.”