a house with a bunch of girls, doesn’t mean you need to dress like a lesbian.”
“Just because you’re a broke, judgmental bitch, doesn’t mean you need to dress like a slut.” I give a fake laugh. “Oh wait, it does, doesn’t it?”
“Watch your mouth, Raven.”
“Why you here?”
“Why else?” She looks to her nails, blowing a bubble with her gum.
“Who do you owe?”
“Rol’s guys.”
I scoff and her eyes fly back to mine. “What, they won’t take other means of payments anymore?”
They way her lip curls, it’s a clear no. “I need a couple thousand by Sunday night.”
I start laughing and she pushes off the car. “Fuck you. Hell no.”
“I said watch your mouth.” She steps forward with a sneer.
So do I.
“Or what, mother? What are you gonna do, huh? You gonna have your new pimp or whatever he is whoop my ass right here on the street where anyone could see? We both know, you no longer can.”
“Don’t sound so sure.”
“Prove me wrong.”
She grips my elbows, her long cokehead nails sinking into my skin, and she yanks me toward her right as I shove off her chest.
The move sends me stumbling back and has her flying against the car.
She pushes off right as I get my footing and we both dart forward, but before I can grab a hold of her and before her swing makes it all the way around, arms wrap around my waist and I’m lifted off my feet and she’s blocked, her fist caught mid-air.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. What the fuck is ...” Royce trails off when Captain steps back and he gets a look at my mom.
My muscles lock, Captain’s eyes are on her too.
No. No no, shit no. For so many reasons.
I force myself to glance up at Maddoc. His jaw’s locked tight above my head, I can only guess he’s staring too.
“Uh...” Royce starts again, his eyes slowly moving to mine.
I jerk in Maddoc’s hold and he lets go, but his body stays close.
I look to my mom.
Her eyes flare, in that sickening way they do. Hunger, for both money and more, has her skin flushing. She’s one of the sick ones who actually enjoys her “work.”
Her tongue comes out, slowly sliding across her lips with purpose and I groan.
“Give me a fucking break.”
Her stare snaps back to mine and hardens before she can brush it away, but the boys are perceptive. Not as perceptive as her it seems, because she doesn’t notice the half a foot closer they get – to me.
“Raven. Introduce me to your ... friends.”
“They’re not my friends.”
Maddoc’s muscles tighten behind me and in my peripheral, I see Royce’s head snap my way.
“Introduce me anyway.”
“No.”
She pries her eyes from Captain. “I come to see you and you act like this?” Her eyes float left as she deliberately bends her knee, letting her underwear show at the edge of her tiny skirt. “I missed you—”
“You’re lying.”
Her hand freezes in her hair, eyes snapping to Maddoc.
My stomach twists at the way she studies him, a thought I can’t grip flashing through her eyes. Her tightened expression snaps from one to the next and down the line until they lead back to Maddoc and a sardonic laugh escapes her.
She opens her mouth, but Maddoc doesn’t let her speak.
“You were ready to put your hands on her before we got here. You’re lucky we stopped her when we did or you’d be in even worse shape.”
My mother’s eyes widen, and my heart starts pounding in my chest.
And then it happens, worse than her looking for a client in these three, worse than whatever revelation she had just come to a moment ago, she sees this moment for what it is.
These boys, strong and dominant, smooth and valiant, standing with me.
One on each side, the strongest, largest of the trio at my back.
In the world she and I come from, showing protectiveness for something or someone is interpreted one way - to defend is to show your cards, creating a weakness in the place of strength.
Her smirk tells me I’m right, the light laugh confirms it.
If I don’t figure this out, she’ll find a way to use them too.
I’m not positive they’d care when push comes to shove, but I’ll be damned if I become indebted to anyone on her terms.
And besides, they don’t need to be sucked into the nightmare that is Ravina Carver. She’s my problem to deal with.
Which is why I say, “Fine.”
Her eyes cut to mine, suspicion tightening her features. “Fine?”