“Open the goddamned door!” she screeches again. “Or I’ll make you pay for real! You think I don’t have shit to sell? I do. I can have your name splashed across every newspaper in this country. Just you wait and see.”
My heart nearly drops out of my chest, and I don’t realize I wheezed out loud until she turns around and meets my gaze.
“Who the hell are you?” she demands.
“Nobody.” I pivot on my heel and run because my reptile brain is screaming predator, but to my horror, she comes after me.
“Who are you?” She’s hot on my heels, and she doesn’t stop even after I cross the property line.
“I’m just one of Landon’s friends,” I gulp out.
“Good. I want to talk to you!”
“Sorry, I can’t right now.” I pick up speed, and so does she.
I’m tempted to bolt for the main house, but I’m too close to the pool house now. The only chance I have is to get inside and lock her out because clearly there’s something wrong with this woman.
“Stop.” She grabs my arm, and I try to shake her off.
“Don’t touch me!” I snap. “You don’t even know me.”
“I bet you think he’s so perfect, don’t you?” She digs her nails into my skin as I spin to face her. “You don’t know how he treats his own mother. He threw me away, and he’ll throw you away too. Just you wait and see.”
Her eyes look like two huge black marbles in her head. I can’t tell if she’s drunk, high, or just insane. This can’t seriously be the woman who gave birth to Landon.
Beautiful Landon.
“Leave me alone!” I pry her fingers off me and stare at her in disgust. “How can you even call yourself a mother? It’s no surprise he doesn’t want to be around you.”
It happens in slow motion. At least that’s how it feels. I see her wrench her arm back. I feel her palm collide with my face like a wrecking ball, and my legs nearly give out as I stumble backward. I’m stunned. Immobile. I can’t even speak. I’ve never been hit before. Ever. It’s almost incomprehensible that a mother could even do that. But then I remember Landon. His head, his scratched-up face, that burn mark.
“It was you.” The accusation falls from my lips helplessly as I clutch my face. “You attacked him, didn’t you?”
“Oh, please.” She cackles. “You’re just as delusional as he is.”
“Suzy.” The dark and thunderous voice behind me calls out, rumbling over my shoulder like an earthquake.
I don’t have to turn to know it’s Landon. He’s in my pool house. Thank god for his stalking tendencies.
“So, this is your girlfriend, huh?” Suzy’s eyes bounce between the two of us. “Is that where all your money is going? To your little whore?”
I’m not sure what comes over me. Maybe it’s instinct or emotion, or just the bottled-up rage erupting inside me. But when my fist collides with her face, it feels like I’ve lost my grip on reality. I’ve never hit anyone before. I didn’t even realize I knew how. But the heat of the moment teaches me I’m capable of anything.
“What the fuck?" She stumbles back with a yelp, clutching her nose as Landon inserts himself between us. But I’m not even close to done yet.
“You leave him alone!” I scream at her as he tries to shield me with his body. “You stay away from him. I’ll… I’ll call the cops. I’ll have them arrest you if you come near him again. I’ll hire someone to watch you. I’ll…”
“Shh, Kail.” Landon clutches my face in his palms, and for a second, I forget why I’m even so upset.
“It’s okay,” he murmurs.
“No.” My lip wobbles. “She doesn’t get to do this to you. I won’t let her.”
“I know you won’t.” He smiles and then shakes his head like he’s amused by me nearly blowing a gasket over him.
I lean across his body to yell at Suzy again. “Get the hell off our property before I have you arrested for trespassing!”
Landon releases me and tries to usher her away, but she snarls at him, shoving his hands off her.
“You’re going to pay for this,” she screeches. And somehow, I know she means it.
We both watch her stumble away, and I’m humiliated by the tears shining in my eyes. But I’m even more horrified to think that maybe this just made things worse for Landon.
“I’m so sorry.” I shudder. “But.. she’s awful. God, Landon, she is so awful.”
He approaches me slowly and wraps his arms around me, but when I do the same to him, he stiffens. This doesn’t come naturally to him, but as I hold him there, he relaxes. His chin is resting on the top of my head, and his voice is rough in a way I haven’t heard before.