The Ahern Brothers Collection - Claudia Burgoa Page 0,42
happened.” Her voice is cold, detached.
Abby
Mom didn’t mention her boyfriend Corbin after our first meeting. She disappeared a lot, but as usual, I never knew where to find her. It surprised me when a few months later she announced her impending nuptials.
“We’re going to Vegas.”
For once, my mother’s life excited me. We were going to Vegas. I made a few calculations and wondered if I could get a fake ID and gamble while we were there. If only I had enough money, I could emancipate myself. It was a couple of hours into the planning when I found all the flaws. Even if I learned to count cards, the cameras might catch me. I’d be kicked out of the casinos. If I succeeded, the authorities would want to know how I made that much money—they’d confiscate it or worse—send me to jail.
Then, I came up with a new plan. What if I were to just run away while in Vegas? Even better, what would happen if I ran away now? Since my mother stayed with Corbin almost every night, there wasn’t anything in the house to eat. Not that I cared. I had two part-time jobs: one at the smoothie bar and the other at the diner a few blocks from home.
I didn’t need her anymore. She hadn’t paid the electric bill or the water bill. I did. My savings plan was suffering, but I couldn’t wait to turn eighteen. I’d claim the house and the little money that was part of the trust and kick my mother out.
You can run away and come back when you’re older and stronger. It was a good option, but what if the police found me and brought me back to her. She’d punish me. I decided that running away in Vegas would be safer.
My plan was set into action the next day, when the Stanley family moved into our house. Ava became my roommate. Shaun used the guest room that was just across the hall from mine. I decided to run away once we arrived in Nevada. Except, it turned out, the only ones going away for the weekend were the bride and the groom.
“Shaun will take care of you and Ava,” Mom said.
I can take care of myself, I screamed inside my head.
That night, Ava spoke to me for the first time.
“Stay away from Shaun,” she whispered.
I rolled my eyes. Did she think I had a thing for her brother? The guy creeped me out.
“Where’s your mom?” I asked her, because these strangers were going to be around for longer than I wanted, and I at least wanted to know if they would be leaving every other week to see their mother.
“Dead,” she whispered.
“I’m sorry. How old were you when she died?”
“I was eight,” she sobbed.
My heart squeezed as I heard her crying. It had been almost ten years since she lost her mom. I bet she missed her just as much as I missed my grandmother.
“What happened to her?”
Chills ran through my body when I heard her mumble something like, Dad didn’t need her anymore.
But I shook my head, between her low voice and the sobs I thought I must have misheard what she said.
Chapter Twenty-One
Abby
“So, do you prefer to stop in Vegas for a shotgun wedding?”
I jolt at the question, tearing my eyes off the book I’m pretending to read.
“Seriously, Weston?” I growl at him. “What kind of question is that?”
I feign annoyance. But in truth, I should be apologizing for being so distant. I just can’t help it. And I know that he hates when I disappear into my mind or when I go into complete silence.
Wes hates when I’m quiet and brooding.
He says that it reminds him of the time when I first arrived at the Aherns. He feels like I’m hurt and pushing him away along with everyone else around me. I bet right now he assumes that I’m scared. I’ll deny it, even when he’s right.
Just empty your mind and don’t think about anyone else but Wes, I order myself
“The kind of question I ask when you’re not paying attention,” he answers with his signature half smirk and half scowl that scares many but makes me laugh.
Well, not only laugh. It sucks the air out of my lungs because in a way, it looks really sexy. That’s Wes. A sexy guy in a Henry Cavill kind-of-way. Except Wes doesn’t have a hot British accent.