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Rhiannon barges into the house. Sloane casts an apologetic look over her shoulder at me before following her inside. I pull up the rear and am met with a wall of stale cigarette smoke. I’m a guy who lights up from time to time, but the stench of it overwhelms even me. I vow, in this moment, never to do it again. It’s probably hell on the people who don’t smoke.
The home is small—maybe twelve hundred square feet and that’d be pushing it—and it’s full of people. Another woman who resembles Rhiannon and Sloane sits on a worn-out blue sofa with two children sitting with her. An older woman, but definitely related, stands by the opening of the kitchen, a lit cigarette dangling between her wrinkled lips. There are three more kids scattered about.
It’s strange to imagine Sloane living here and growing up here. There’s still so much I don’t know about her. I’m going to eventually find out everything there is to know.
“Look what the cat dragged in,” the woman from the kitchen says with hostility. “Sassy Sloane.”
Sloane purses her lips before clipping out, “Nice to see you too, Mom. Ever heard of returning a text?”
The woman puffs on her cigarette and then waves dismissively at her. “Rhiannon was fine, obviously. I don’t know why you suddenly felt the need to involve yourself in our family’s affairs.”
If her mother’s words hurt Sloane, she doesn’t let on.
“Fine? That piece of shit she shacks up with has been pummeling her,” Sloane barks out. “And what about Kaden? You had nothing to say about me taking him in?”
Rhiannon perks up, looking a lot less pitiful at the mention of her son. “You have Kaden? How is he?”
“Fine, no thanks to you,” Sloane grumbles.
Rhiannon’s shoulders hunch and she drops down onto the sofa near her other sister. They reach for each other, holding hands. My heart aches that Sloane is the outsider in her own family. I, of all people, know how that feels.
“I think we’ve all had more than we can handle of your self-righteous bullshit,” her mother says as she stubs out her cigarette in an ashtray on the bar. “It’s time for you to go now.”
Sloane’s flinch is slight, but I catch it. It’s not my place to put in my two cents, but I do think we should go. Rhiannon is safe with her mother and family. Now I need to see to Sloane’s mental well-being.
“Don’t go back to him,” Sloane says to Rhiannon. “And text me when you’re ready to see your son. He misses you.”
Rhiannon starts to cry and the other sister soothes her. I slip back outside with Sloane on my heels. When we reach her car, I gently take the keys from her hands and give her a push toward the passenger side. Shockingly, she goes without argument.
“This is how the other side lives.”
I arch a brow at her as I turn the vehicle on. “I didn’t say anything.”
She shoves the seat belt buckle into place with a snap. “You didn’t have to. I can read the disdain written on your face.”
“It’s not disdain.”
“Right,” she huffs, glaring out the side window. “What then? Pity? Second-hand embarrassment?”
She’s prickly and upset. I’m an easy target. Is that what she needs? To vent out all her frustrations? I know one thing’s for sure. She’s in no mood to deal with Kaden. Rather than driving us to my house, I take the route to hers. As soon as we pull into her driveway, she climbs out and slams the door so hard the whole vehicle shakes.
“Sloane,” I call out, trotting after her. “Talk to me.”
She waits by the door, arms crossed and scowling, for me to unlock it. As soon as I do, she shoves inside and starts letting it all out.
“I bet you’re rethinking your ‘future’ now, huh? Got a taste of the other side and it’s not so pretty, is it?” She gestures at herself. “Some of us come from nothing. We will always be nothing.”
Now she’s starting to piss me off. I toss her keys onto a table and grab the front of her T-shirt, hauling her to me.
“Take it back.”
Her nostrils flare. “Take what back?”
“The part where you’re indicating you’re somehow less than me. I fucking hate that. Take it back.”
She claws at my hand clutching her shirt. “No! It’s the truth, Dempsey! I’m me and you’re a damn Park! In what world did we ever think this could work?”
I crowd her, forcing her back until her ass hits the closed front door. Her eyes widen as she stares up at me. They continue to flicker with anger, but heat is also there.
