My Cruel Lover (Wicked Poison #3) - T.L. Smith Page 0,53

She’s good. I trust her implicitly.”

“I don’t need a cleaner.”

“Your shower says otherwise.” I smirk.

She blushes.

“That’s your fault. I told you the shower wasn’t going to be big enough.”

“I’ll buy you new soap, washes, and whatever else I might have broken.” I may have accidentally knocked them over and spilled them all over her floor. Her bathroom is incredibly small. It’s like a closet in comparison to mine.

And I had plans to fuck her, so nothing else mattered at the time. Therefore the mess I left behind was probably more than it should have been. Still, my cleaner will make it sparkle before we return.

“It makes me uncomfortable when you throw around your offers.”

I pause and turn to her. “What offers?”

Her perfect brows pinch together. “Things that cost money. I know you’re used to it, but I’m not. Please stop offering things, especially stuff that costs money I don’t have,” she says, as the front door opens.

My mother is standing there. Her gaze falls to Jacinta. She assesses her, then moves back to me. “You didn’t tell me you were bringing anyone, Beckham. You know better than that.”

Ha.

She thinks she can play me like she does the girls. Well, she should know better than that. I stopped being manipulated by her a long time ago.

“Nonsense. I don’t need to inform you. We both know you have more than enough food. Now, let me introduce you to Jacinta. No rude comments or talking down to her. I am not Rylee. I will straight up leave and not come back.”

My mother forces a smile. “I’m not rude,” she snaps, then looks at Jacinta. “Your son? He’s not here?”

“No, he’s with his grandfather today.”

“Wonderful. The girls are inside already.” My mother steps back to let us enter, and I kiss her on the forehead as I show Jacinta to the living room. Rylee smiles and offers her a drink straight away as Rhianna smirks, simply watching me.

“I’ll be back,” I lean down and tell Jacinta.

She nods and takes the seat next to Rylee as I walk out. I find my mother opening a bottle of wine as I enter the kitchen. “I love her.”

My mother’s brows rise at my confession. “Do you, though?” she questions.

“I do. I see her differently than I have ever seen a woman in my life. I think about her all the time. She is my first thought each morning and my last every night.”

“It could be infatuat—” my mother attempts to say before I cut her off.

“It’s not.”

“She’s below you, you know that. Surely, you know that?” She lifts her glass of wine and takes a few sips. “A kid. No house. Been married. Gosh, what else is there?”

“Is that all you see?”

She scoffs and shakes her head. “No. Do you really want to know what I see?”

“Enlighten me, Mother,” I egg her on, crossing my arms over my body, taking that please educate me with your damn thoughts stance.

“You won’t leave?” she asks. “I mean … you did ask.”

“No, now tell me.”

“Fine then.” She takes a deep breath. “I see a woman who’s not good enough for my son. My son who has a lot at stake and something for her to win. You may have been smart with women in the past, but you aren’t with this one. What? So you’re going to marry her, and then when she leaves, she takes everything you have worked so hard for with her, and she runs away with the next man in line who can give her more than you can.” She takes a deep breath, and I grind my teeth at her words. “I know girls like her. Lost, looking for love, and shown money. Now that’s all she wants. It’s why she went after Anderson … money. How much is she getting from that family? Considering how well off they are, I’m sure she would be getting enough to not work a day in her life. Have you seen under her bed? Do you really know all her secrets? It’s quite evident you don’t. All I’m saying is watch her, get to know her first. Gold-diggers are good at hiding where they stash their cash.”

My mother’s eyes fall on something behind me, and I turn.

Jacinta’s standing there, her eyes glassy as she looks at me.

“I think we should leave.”

My mother offers her a small wave as Jacinta turns and walks away.

“You said you wouldn’t leave,” my mother reminds me.

“That was before you turned into an A-class