She crossed her arms over her chest, and I couldn’t help think how ridiculous she looked in her bikini top. “Nobody asked whether you wanted it. People don’t get asked when somebody wants to give them a gift. And when they get the gift, they have the grace and the decency to accept without whining and complaining about their piece-of-shit Corolla!”
“Maybe you care about the sort of car I drive, but I don’t. You know damn well—”
“Watch your language!” Her chest heaved, rising and falling with ragged breaths.
“—Dad gave me that car,” I continued right over her. Like she ever cared about my language. “You can’t take everything away from me. It isn’t fair. He made sure it would run for me. That was the last thing he was able to do before we left.”
The hardness etched in her face softened some. “It’s a vehicle, Josie.”
It had been so long since she called me by my nickname. “Reality check. So is that Lexus,Mom.”
Her mouth pinched, and she lifted her chin. “Yes, but don’t you at least want to try to fit in here?”
“Here we go.” This was a battle neither of us would win. “Was it even Steven’s idea to buy the car, or was that you? I don’t accept it. Your relationship is your problem.”
“How dare you?” she clipped out, making a noise of disgust in the back of her throat. “You are an ungrateful, disrespectful, spoiled little bitch, and I won’t have this from you anymore. Do you hear me? I won’t. I am your mother whether you like it or not and whether you like me or not. You will not disrespect my husband or me in our house. You will learn to obey. You’ll be the nice, sweet, respectful little girl I deserve, or else…”
My voice cooled at the unspoken threat she dangled in the air between us. “Or else what?”
She took a step toward me, a gleam of rage glimmering in the depths of her brown eyes. Her hand pulled back like she wanted to hit me, but stopped herself before the impulse went past her control. I don’t know what I would have done if she had slapped me. She’d never put her hands on me before, but the verbal lashings were just as damaging. “Or else I’ll make your life a living hell. And you can forget Steven paying a cent for anything this year, and sure as hell forget college. Better hope you get a full ride.”
I knew she meant it. She was just evil enough to carry through with the threat.
My eyes went flat at the look of triumph on her face. It made me want to scream, but that would have only made her happier.
“That’s what I thought. We sold your car. The new owner is coming to pick it up tonight.”
My shoulders sagged in defeat, my hands falling to my sides. Silence stretched between us, and when I didn’t object, she spun on her heels and left, thinking she had won.
“I’ll walk to school then!” I shouted after her, and I half expected her to fly back into my room. I was so looking forward to slamming the door in her face.
My hand rested on the knob and tightened when I saw a shadow traveling up the stairway. I figured it had to be her…
But as the shadow grew closer, a lump formed in my chest.Fuck. It was obvious from the size and the way the shadow moved, it wasn’t my mother. Then I saw the sandy hair and moved to quickly close the door.
A hand pressed on it before I could get it shut, and Carter’s smirking face appeared. To some girls, he was the perfect golden boy, the all-American football hero, a guy made for fantasies. Trim waist, toned muscles thanks to the hours he spent bulking up at our home gym, a chiseled jawline. To me, he was the devil in disguise. I shuddered to think what he would do if he found out I had slept with Brock.
My chin lifted at him. “Do you need something?” I snapped.
He leaned a broad shoulder against my doorframe, taking up the entire exit with his body. “Nice car.”
I plastered on a condescending smile of my own. “Oh, you like it?”
His eyes ran over me in a way that made me wish I was wearing sweats and a bulky hoodie. “What did you do to get a Lexus? Suck the old man off.”
I scowled, reaching for the door again. “You’re disgusting.”
He didn’t budge regardless that it was obvious I wanted him to leave. “Like mother, like daughter.”
“I’m nothing like my mother.” My voice dripped with venom toxic enough to kill.
“Bullshit.” What might have been a handsome face twisted up in a snarl. “If you ever want to put that pretty mouth of yours to good use, I’m just down the hall.”
My hand itched to slap him across the face. Instead, I forced my lips into a sneer. “That’s the best you can do?” I held the smile in place.
“Oh, I’m just getting started. At least your mother doesn’t pretend to be anything more than a gold digger. You’re just a bitch.” It was a cold hiss, like ice water running down my back in a thin stream. He took a step closer, using his size to intimidate me. “But I’d still fuck you.”
It took every ounce of my self-control not to step back away from him. I refused to shrink in front of him. “Problem is, I’d never fuck you.”