To My Arrogant Boss (The Inappropriate Bachelors #2) - J. S. Cooper Page 0,75

let’s go, we’d be out of there in seconds. But before I had time to say anything, the door opened and his mom came striding into the room.

“What is going on here?” She screamed as she stared at us. “Tate Howard, I have never been so disrespected in my life, how dare you bring your whore Maria into my bedroom!”

“She’s not a whore, mom.” He sat up and his voice was angry and his face was resigned. “And you know her name isn’t Maria.”

“Maria, Lupa, whatever it is. She’s not welcome here. This is a complete act of disrespect. All you children ever do is disrespect me and our family home. I have had enough. We are Howards, Tate. You know better than this.”

“Mom, what is your problem?” He looked at me and I nodded as he jumped up off of the bed and grabbed his shirt and jeans and pulled them back on. “This is not like you. You’ve never been this cold before in your life.” He walked over and stopped in front of her. “You are disrespecting Jane and you are disrespecting me. How dare you talk to my girlfriend like that? How dare you try and make her feel as if she were nothing?” He shook his head and I scrambled off of the bed to pull on my skirt and top before grabbing my bra and panties. I’d put them back on later. I stood behind him, listening to him, pride pouring through me as he spoke up for me. I could see his mother’s lips trembling and her hard face was starting to crack.

“Did you forget what your destiny was, Tate? Did you forget that you were born for greatness?”

“And you think I can’t be great because I’m in love with Jane?”

My heart thudded at his words. Was he falling in love with me or in love with me? I knew that I was in love with him, but I hadn’t wanted to push it on him like I was demanding he be fully in love with me as well.

“How can you be in love with her, Tate?” His mom’s voice cracked. “What about me?”

“Oh mom, I will always love you.” He put his arms around her and she rested her head on his shoulder. I half expected her to give me one of those evil delighted looks that silently signaled that she’d won, but she didn’t even look at me. Instead I heard her sobbing. “Mom, I don’t know why you’re so bitter and so hurt, but you can’t take it out on other people. I don’t even know where this is coming from.”

“I don’t know.” She cried and for a moment there, I believed her. Maybe she didn’t know why she was so full of hate. She’d been really rude to me. Both of his parents had. And even though I’d told Tate that I was strong and could take it, I’d lied. I was burning inside. I wanted to cry. I wanted to tell my parents and have their calm loving words support and cover me. The Howard’s had been awful, deliberately cruel, and mean. I’d told Tate I’d dealt with racists before, which I had, but never like them. Never so direct and mean. These were the sort of people I’d never want to see again. I was glad that Tate was supporting his mother, but in the back of my mind, I knew that I would never forgive her for what she’d said to me. I never wanted to see her again or his dad and I wasn’t sure what that meant about my possible relationship with Tate? How could we ever progress if I hated his family? I bit on my lower lip and tried to stifle a sigh. Were we doomed from the beginning?

“Jane and I are going to leave now, mom.” Tate took a step back and let go of his mother. “As you can most probably tell, this has been a very hostile environment for Jane and she’s not comfortable here. And I’m also not comfortable with keeping her in this situation. I never should have brought her here.” He shook his head. “I never should have opened her up to this abuse from you and dad.”

“Was I very horrid?” His mom asked softly and he nodded. “I’m sorry.”

“Tell her, mom.”

“I’m sorry.” She looked over at me, her head still high in a regal fashion. “Nothing I said was intended to hurt you.” I nodded