No, that’s his favorite!
Quickly looking at John, she saw the fumes were practically exploding from his head.
Vincent started digging into his food as his attention returned to Pam. “What was it again that you needed to talk to Lake about? Graduation or something?”
“Yes, I couldn’t make it because I was taking care of John. How did it go?” her mother finally addressed her.
Lake went to speak, but Vincent spoke first.
“What was wrong?” he asked, looking at John.
John wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “I had a cold.”
She talked before anything else could be said. “It went well. Vincent graduated, too.”
Pam’s face lit up. “You did? I’m so sorry I missed it. I would’ve liked to have seen you graduate, Vincent.”
Lake squeezed her fork while she picked at her food. Her appetite was completely gone by that point, even though she hadn’t eaten all day. Her mother’s words and actions continued to hurt her. She would have preferred John’s plans over this any day.
“You should have seen your daughter.” Vincent smiled at Lake and gave her thigh a squeeze under the table.
Lake found herself smiling back at him for trying to comfort her.
“So, what are you going to do now?” Her mother changed the subject back to Vincent.
He opened his water and took a drink. “My father works downtown at the casino hotel. He’s been friends with the owner Dante Caruso since they were kids. I’m sure you know it because Lake’s dad works there. I’ve been working down there for a couple of months now.”
Oh, God.
“Yeah, we know all about tr—her dad working there,” John said, pointing at Lake.
Vincent looked John in the eyes. “Good. I’m glad you do.”
The rest of the meal was spent silently eating for the most part. Vincent loved every bite of the food, eating his heart’s content while John glared down at Vincent every time he went to get more. Then her mother and Ashley couldn’t quit staring at him. Lake was barely able to stomach a few bites between all of that.
After dinner, Lake headed into the living room with Vincent. Okay, time to go.
Pam came in a moment later, going to Lake’s bag she had dropped by the door. “You know we don’t just lay our stuff around, honey. Go on and take it up to your room.”
Lake took her bag from her mom, confused.
I always leave it there. Fuck it, I don’t even care. You want him, you can have him. She had already had enough of watching her mother flirt with Vincent. Clearly, she was in the way and she would gladly remove herself from the situation.
She headed up the stairs, trying to pretend she wasn’t actually hurt that her mother would do that to her. Why would she do that? She had never done anything like that before, but then again she had never introduced her to anyone, even Adalyn.
Turning down the hall her room was on, she heard someone come up behind her. Run!
Lake ran down the hallway, afraid John or even Ashley had followed her up. At the end of the hall, she felt someone wrap their arms around her. Instantly, she knew who it was.
Lake was out of breath as she whispered, “You scared me to death, Vinc—”
Vincent quickly turned her around to face him, still holding her to him. “Why the fuck did you just run?”
She turned her head, unable to look him in the eye. “You snuck up on me. It just startled me.”
He grabbed her face and turned her to look at him. “Bullshit! You don’t fucking run from someone in your own house.”
Looking at his predatory face, she had to keep lying.
A bad feeling in her gut started to form at how the night could end. It screamed at her that the shit was about to hit the fan.
“I told you, Vincent, you scared me. I’m just so tired.” She pushed away from him, unwilling to have him continue to hold her. “Now, go on back downstairs. I’ll be down there after I put my bag up.” She picked it up off the floor from where she had dropped it when he had grabbed her.
“I’m not going down there without you. I told your mom we planned to hang out for a bit.”
“Y-you want to go in my room?” she asked, her mouth running dry.
Vincent crossed his arms over his chest. “Yes. Is that a fucking problem?”
“Well, yes! I didn’t want you here in the first place. I know you stole my phone off me, and now you want to go in my room? I draw the line there.”
“Why are you making such a big deal out of me seeing your room? If you don’t want me to see it so bad, I’ll wait here for you to put your bag up.” He leaned against the wall.
Lake looked up at the string that pulled down the steps leading to her attic bedroom. Dammit! She had to make a decision. The closest bedroom to hers was her old one, but it contained workout equipment and she was afraid of him peeking his head inside. If she just admitted to the attic bedroom, it would hopefully be fine because it wasn’t all that weird. Right? It’s a normal thing now. She was going to own her room being in the attic. If she made it a big deal, then he was going to take it as one.
Reaching up, she went to jump for the string yet missed. Of freaking course. Ashley had cut it way too short the last time. She quickly jumped again, but the tips of her fingers could only brush it.
“Is your room up there?” he asked, sounding confused.
“Yes.” Lake laughed it off and went to try to grab it again.
Vincent came over, stopping her from trying to jump again, and easily grabbed the swinging string to pull it down, revealing the stairs.
Great, now he’s definitely a god—perfect and tall.
“Thanks.” She smiled at him as he unfolded the stairs.
Lake crawled up them, feeling self-conscious until her feet touched the ground and her butt was no longer available for him to view. She hurriedly went to set her bag on her mattress, which rested on the floor, so she could get back down there.