Stepping outside into the sunshine after being shut up in a classroom all day I lifted my face to the sunshine and inhaled the salty breeze. Summer would be here soon and I couldn't wait to spend it with Marcus. Cage was planning a two week road trip with some of his friends. He wanted me to come too but I was looking forward to those two weeks alone with Marcus. This would be the first time Cage and I had been apart for that long. It worried me some but the fear of being left alone was beginning to wane. Since the morning I'd seen the tears in Marcus's eyes when he thought he'd lost me I'd felt more secure in our relationship.
He loved me just as fiercely as I loved him. I no longer doubted that. Calling Cage when I needed someone never even crossed my mind anymore. The first person I wanted was Marcus. Besides Marcus bought my Jarritos now. He never let them get low enough for Cage to notice. He kept me so well stocked it was comical. Cage had grumbled about it at first but he'd gotten over it.
My happy thoughts were interrupted when my eyes landed on my sister standing against a new Mercedes SUV
smiling like the cat who caught the canary. Or more like the cat who caught the rich old dude. Walking toward her I frowned taking in her new wheels. I wondered if it had been purchased from one of Marcus's dad's lots.
"Tawny," I said stopping in front of her.
"Like the car?" Tawny all but purred from pleasure. No. I didn't like the way she'd gotten it. But I did like the fact Larissa would no longer be hauled around in that death trap of my sister's.
"You got it by spreading your legs, sis. I'm not a fan of home-wreckers."
She rolled her eyes and gave me a disgusted look. As if I was the gross one. hello Miss Screwing-someone-twice-your-age.
"Whatever. I wanted to let you know I was moving and I'm selling the house. Jefferson feels like it's best. Letting you have it is pointless. You don't live there. It's mine anyway.
Mom left it to me."
This information stung but I expected it. She'd never given me anything. Why start now?
"Where are you moving to?" It had better not be far. I couldn't care less about Tawny but Larissa was my niece. I wanted to be able to see her.
Tawny smirked and tilted her head so that her copper curls draped over her bare arm. "Jefferson is moving us to Mobile. He has a nice big house bought for us and he is moving in with us as soon as the ink is dry on his divorce papers."
An hour away. Not bad, but still further than I liked. At least Tawny would have no need to work. She would be home with Larissa and maybe this lifestyle would ignite the mother in her. Maybe she and Larissa could bond. I swallowed the bitter taste in my mouth. Tawny was really breaking up a marriage. But Larissa would have a daddy. I was so torn. Knowing Larissa wouldn't have to live the life I had was such a relief. But knowing a marriage had been destroyed, another family was losing their father, it broke my heart. God, could this be any more screwed up.
"Here," Tawny handed me an envelope. I reached out to take it. It had my name written on the outside in Tawny's swirly handwriting and it was sealed.
"It's some money. For all the times you kept Larissa and so you can get a place of your own and move out of Cage York's bed. I also put our new address in there. Larissa will want to see you." I stared at my sister dumbfounded. Who was this and what had she done with Tawny?
"You're giving me money?" I asked incredulously.
She straightened her shoulders and I could see the mask of indifference take its place on her face. Tawny didn't do emotion.
"I always pay my debts, Low." She flashed me her beauty queen smile and flipped her hair over her shoulders. "Well, I have to go meet my fiance and pick Larissa up from the sitter." She turned to saunter off then stopped and glanced back over her shoulder.
"You're smart, Low. Do something with that." I just stood there as she climbed into her new fancy SUV
and drove off. What had just happened? Had that been her way of saying she was sorry? Looking down at the envelope in my hands I opened it carefully. Pulling out a check for ten thousand dollars I stared at it in shock. Then my eyes focused on the endorser:
Jefferson M Hardy I
Mercedes Benz of the Gulf Coast
Chapter Twenty
Marcus
I couldn't find Will ow anywhere. She wasn't answering her phone or responding to my texts. Her class was over hours ago. I searched through her things looking for her sister's phone number. Nothing.
My phone dinged and I scrambled to grab it. A text from Amanda. Not what I'd been hoping for.
"Mom needs you. Hurry please."
Shit.
I needed to find Will ow. I didn't have time for family drama.
Dad no doubt had done something new and sent mom into a spiraling mess.
"Where are you Low," I growled in frustration staring down at my phone trying to decide who to call. Who would know where she was?
"I'm here," her voice was so soft I almost didn't hear her over the chaos in my head. I spun around and found her standing in our bedroom doorway. She looked devastated.
"What's wrong?" I asked rushing to her and pulling her into my arms. Red swol en eyes and a tear streaked face were just the beginning of what was wrong with her. Her arms didn't embrace me in return. Instead she stood limp.
"Low, you're scaring me," I said into her hair needing some kind of reaction from her.
She didn't respond.
My phone went off again and I ignored it. Tightening my hold on her I waited hoping she'd say something. Anything.
My phone started ringing. Frustrated I grabbed it and started to decline it when I saw it was Amanda. Something had to really be wrong.
"What Manda, I'm busy at the moment."