think you must be mistaken.” Because I was pretty sure whores had sex. Lots of it. And I didn’t think masturbation counted.
“I hope I’m mistaken. He usually has better taste.” Her lips curved into a cruel smirk.
Ouch. The insult stung. Especially after everything I’d done to lose weight and regain my sense of self. “I think you should leave. You are obviously in the wrong place.”
“I was told this is where the slut works.”
Uh-oh. I suddenly had a sinking feeling. Was this about Winnie and her new friend? “That is really harsh language to use.” Please don’t tell me I’d ever been this nasty.
“Only if it were false. I’m here to put a stop to it.”
“Or maybe you shouldn’t interfere? When kids reach a certain age, we have to let them make their own choices.”
“He was told to stay away.”
“What can I say? Young love.” I shrugged.
She snorted. “He’s old enough to know better. But since he’s incapable of breaking it off, I’ll handle it for him.”
From the sounds of it, Winnie was better off not getting involved with this family. Mommy was whack-a-doodle. “I’ll pass on the message.”
“I’ll do it myself. Where is Naomi Rousseau? I hear she’s the owner of this store.”
I blinked. It only briefly occurred to me to lie. “I’m Naomi.”
“The whore?”
“Doubtful. I haven’t had sex in… Doesn’t matter how long. Let’s just say if your son claimed he was sleeping with me, then he was lying.”
“I know you’re involved with him, whore.”
I cleared my throat. “Would you mind not calling me that? I wasn’t kidding when I said I’ve been celibate for years. Unless battery operated counts.” I said it, and I couldn’t take it back.
The lady in front of me only got meaner. “Are you going to deny you’ve been distracting my son? Plying your wiles on him. Making him forget his familial obligations.”
It couldn’t be Darryl she was talking about. His parents weren’t around. Who did that leave? “Who the hell are you talking about?”
“Don’t play stupid. My son Kane.”
“You think Kane and I are fooling around?” I blurted out then laughed. “Hell no.” Not because the guy was ugly or gross. I’d had a one-night make-out session with Kane. I was drunk. Desperate. We made out. It was hot. Very hot. Also all kinds of wrong since Kane was more interested in my property than me. Good thing my bestie saved me from making a mistake.
A mistake that wanted to repeat itself. Kane kept coming around. Not because I asked him too. He just appeared at random moments, mostly to drive me wild, but the last time I’d seen him, he saved my life, and since then he’d avoided me.
Totally for the best because I was serious about Darryl. I liked him a lot and wouldn’t do anything to wreck my chances with him.
“Don’t deny you’ve done something to my son,” exclaimed Kane’s mom. “You cast a spell. Ensnared him with your wiles.”
It was so ludicrous I couldn’t stop laughing. “Oh my God. You are seriously crazy. Talk to Kane. He’ll tell you there’s nothing going on between us.”
“But that would be a lie, sweetheart,” the devil himself said as he walked into the store, interjecting himself into the conversation as if he’d been listening. Then again, he probably had been.
I scanned Kane for injury, because the last time I’d seen him, he was confronting a pack of wolves, injured and alone with only a sword. Defending me. The only thing that would have made it hotter was if he’d taken off his shirt.
Then I remembered I was annoyed with him, mostly because he’d not contacted me once to let me know he was okay. I’d even caved and sent him a message to which he never replied, which hurt. Then made me mad because I cared, and I didn’t want to.
“What do you want?” I snapped. “Can’t you see I’m having a lovely chat with your mother?” I was heavy on the sarcasm. Maybe they’d get the hint and both leave.
“A chat about me, I assume. Surely you don’t mind if I join in.”
“Actually, I do mind,” I huffed, my indignation only partially authentic. Kane might be a tad older than Darryl, the lines in his face more severe, rigid, but there was something about him. A masculinity. A presence. Danger that thrilled.
“I understand you’re angry. It’s been a few days without contact. You must have missed me.”
He did this all the time. Spoke as if we had something between us.