and crazy than I ever gave you credit for.”
Ren recoils when Lita suddenly reaches out to brush a few fallen strands of dark hair from her forehead. She doesn’t retreat soon enough to avoid being lightly scratched with her mother’s fingernails.
“You fucking little moron,” Lita sighs. “You actually believe he cares. No Ren, he’s the sort of trash who’s only looking for the next hole to satisfy himself.”
Ren glances at her father, silently begging him to put a stop to this nightmare. She doesn’t believe it. Not even for a blink of an eye does she believe Oscar would have a thing to do with Lita. August believes it though. Either he believes it or he can’t be bothered with a contradiction. He breathes heavily and sinks down into a chair.
Lita laughs. “Oh, don’t look at your father as if he’ll object. Oscar’s not the first one I’ve had fun with and he won’t be the last. I suppose you’re old enough to hear that your father and I have had an arrangement since Brigitte was born. I’m free to do as I please. And in this case, like so many others, that’s exactly what I did.”
Ren runs the back of her hand beneath her nose. It has stopped bleeding. “Sorry. It turns out you’ve wasted a round of theatrics, Mom. I know exactly what you are. You don’t know how to do anything but lie and inflict pain. But I won’t be your problem anymore. And neither will Oscar.”
Lita is amused. “Is that because you believe you two will just ride off into the fabled sunset like the dreadful films once set here? No.” She shakes her head with a private smile. “That won’t be happening, Ren.”
“Empty threats,” Ren whispers. That’s all you are. You can’t stop us.”
Lita clucks her tongue. “Well now, that’s not exactly true. Do I really have to remind you that you are a minor?”
“Fine, I’ll get emancipated. I have less than eight months until my eighteenth birthday.”
“Yes, a lot can happen in eight months. Scandal and disgrace. And of course a trial.”
“A trial?” Ren is startled. “What crime has been committed for god’s sake?”
“Do you really think we would allow Mina’s stray to camp out here without performing a few background checks? Among the more interesting nuggets of information we uncovered is the fact that Oscar is over eighteen and of course, as I just pointed out, you are not.”
“Oh god, Lita, you think anyone will care? No one in their right mind would bother with a case like that.”
“They will if I make sure of it. And just imagine all the lovely publicity that will surround you for the rest of your life. I’m aware of how much you adore the spotlight, dear daughter. Loren Savage will go from being Failed Actress to The Girl Who Fucked Her Cousin.”
“This is insane. You are insane. You think no one will realize there’s no biological connection between us? And by the way, I know that Mina never actually adopted him so that means his last name is not even legally Savage.”
Lita sighs. “It saddens me that you’ve learned absolutely nothing. Truth is merely incidental. The story is whatever will sell. Always. The world will see you as cousins because I will make sure of it. And as far as legal trouble goes, if one charge doesn’t stick we can just try again with another. For instance, I believe we will discover that there are some valuable things missing around here. Do not underestimate my resources, girl. What do you think his chances will be by the time I’m finished with him?”
Ren won’t believe that. Even though she’s seen the evidence her entire life she doesn’t want to be part of a world where Lita is right. She holds her head up. “No. You’re just so pathetically twisted that you don’t understand that the truth actually matters to people.”
“Well, by the time you get all that sorted out you won’t be able to set foot outside the door without a camera in your face and your lover will be passing time somewhere in the Arizona penal system. You called me a liar, Ren, and sometimes that’s true. But believe me when I tell you that I will not sleep until that boy is gone, one way or another.”
Ren stares at her mother, true horror settling in. Lita believes in a scorched earth policy. She will set the world on fire to get her way.
“What do you