A Cut so Deep - Dani Rene Page 0,48

I realize she’s being nice. She’s showing affection, even though it’s over the phone. And that’s new.

“I hope you’re having fun.”

“I am. Listen, when I get back, there’s something I need to tell you,” she says, in a hushed whisper. “It’s important, and now that you’re old enough, I think it’s best you know.”

“What is it?”

“You’ll have to wait until we get back,” she says. “I hope you enjoy your time with the boys. And behave yourself, don’t give them too much trouble.” Her admonishment comes after her affection, and if I had to be honest, it hurts.

For once, I’d just like my mother to tell me she’s proud of me. Or that she loves me. But that’s not who Marcia Ellington is. And a new last name clearly hasn’t changed the cold, aloof woman who’s my mother.

The line dies, and I blink back the tears. I’m old enough to know that people don’t change. They grow up in a certain way and allow whatever happens to them to mold who they become.

And my mother is nothing but a cold-hearted woman who never wanted a child. I know this because I heard her and my dad fighting one night before he died.

And I realize nothing is going to change her.

Not now.

Not ever.

Having Cass and Finn around yesterday was nice, but I miss Damien. I’ve thought about him non-stop since my mother’s call. Even though I’m anxious about what she wants to tell me, I’m focusing on going to Oxford. I need to get my application in and read up on the university, but I’m excited.

Sitting at my desk, I open my laptop and log in. Opening the browser, I pull up the websites I need and scroll through the information. I open another tab and check the travel time between London and Oxford.

Not bad.

If he agrees to allow me to travel with him, I don’t know what that would mean for us, but as soon as he gets back, I’m going to try to talk to him about it. I don’t want to come across as needy, but this is my future.

If that doesn’t involve him, I’d want to know sooner, rather than later.

Damien is different than any of the other guys I knew back home, and he’s vastly different from his brothers. I know he’s hiding his own pain, and even though he told me about the fight between him and Creed, I have a feeling there’s more that he’s hiding.

A knock on my door startles me. Pushing off the chair, I pad over to the door and pull it open to find Damien leaning against the opposite wall. He could’ve easily pushed his way into my bedroom, but he didn’t.

“Hi.”

“Hey,” he greets with his dark brow arched and those dimples peeking at me playfully. “Busy?” His blue eyes trail over me, from my messy bun all the way down to my black painted toenails. When he locks those baby blues on me and gifts me his sinful smirk, heat trickles its way over me like warmth from a blazing fire on a cold day.

“Not really.”

“Are you feeling better after the run?”

“Yeah, I… I enjoyed it.” I look at him, really look at him, and take note of every inch of him. His teeth bite down on his lower lip when he nods.

“Meet me in the greenhouse tonight.” He pushes off the wall and saunters toward the staircase. I watch him walk away; his back covered in a black tee that’s a little too tight. His ass is hugged in a pair of jeans that make me lick my lips at the sight. He’s too beautiful. My time with him, this month of not having our folks around will soon be over, and we’ll have to face the truth. We may not be able to be together when they’re back.

When our parents return from their honeymoon, Damien and I are going to need to talk. And just the thought of it has me worried.

It’s still a few hours before tonight, and now that I know he wants to meet, I can’t sit still. Pulling on a pair of sneakers, I head out of my room and make my way down the steps and toward the living room. The patio doors are open, and Finn is sitting on one of the chairs, smoking. The joint hangs from his full lips, his hair hanging over his forehead, as he looks down at his phone screen.

I can’t tell what he’s doing, but