“Mr. Mascro,” he offered, and she blanched even more. “And as for ‘your kind,’ I mean rude, obnoxious, and too blind to see the beautiful gem of a daughter you had. And I do mean had. You’ll do well to remember that it’s past tense and stay the fuck out of your daughter’s life. That is a threat.”
Atticus turned his back on her, dismissing Jacqueline even more in front of everyone in the room. I didn’t even have to think about my next move. Pulling him to me, I kissed him thoroughly this time. Sax’s arms stayed wrapped around me the whole time, and his words about me between the two of them had me rubbing my legs together. Thankfully, Atticus seemed to remember we were in public still and pulled back before I practically humped his leg.
“If it only took putting your mother in her place to be kissed like that, I would’ve done it a long time ago.”
“Nice try,” I teased.
“Um, can I look yet?” Jude asked, and I laughed, peeking around Sax to see he’d turned Jude in the other direction. I looked up at him, and he shrugged. Chuckling, I turned Jude around, not even embarrassed.
“I think we’re gonna need a code word or something, so I’m not scarred or continuously shoved into corners.”
“Sure, JuJu.” I smiled, feeling the happiest I’d ever been. Looking for the rest of our crew, a pair of dark eyes stood out from the crowd, staring at me. When they caught mine, I noticed their lips lifted in what most people would perceive as a smile, but it was a sardonic mask of the real thing on him. He faded into the crowd, but his message was clear.
He knew I knew who he was now, and it was only a matter of time before he played that card.
My heart raced, and goosebumps broke out at the implications of what he could do to the happiness I’d just found. My vow to trust myself surged up, and without any hesitation this time, I turned to Atticus, searing him with my gaze, the words tumbling free, uninhibited.
“I can’t do this to you.”