Page 87 of Ravaged By Lust

“I wasn’t expecting anyone,” Maddie says. She gets up from the couch and heads down the hallway.

A moment later, I hear the door open and then high-pitched noises that sound like squealing. I twist my head to try to catch a glance down the hallway, but Maddie reappears before I can see what the hell’s going on.

“This might be a surprise,” she tells me, breathless. “But look who’s here.”

She points behind her at whoever’s just entered.

It’s Mom.

39

CHLOE

“Mom?”

She immediately rushes across Maddie’s living room to wrap her long arms around me. I embrace her back, but my mouth still hangs open.

I can’t believe this…

She looks like Mom. She smells like Mom. It must be Mom.

“Chloe!”

“Did you know about this?” I ask Maddie, my body still tightly constrained by my mother’s hug. My brother’s girlfriend shakes her head in response.

“It’s good to see you, Chloe,” Mom says. “And you too, Maddie.”

“Always lovely to see you, Astrid.”

“What are you doing here?” I ask Mom as I successfully wriggle free from her grasp.

“Axel told me you’d be here,” she replies with a wink. “He was told by Bishop. All roads lead back to me, daughter.”

“You’re very good at collecting information on us, aren’t you? I can’t hide from you, even if I try.”

“You know me.”

“But you hate Los Angeles.”

“So do you, Chloe.”

“Yeah, but I’m not the one who’s visited it twice in such a short amount of time,” I point out. “First you came to see Maddie for the first time, now it’s to see me…”

“Both great reasons to come,” Mom says, winking again. This time at Maddie. “Both my children have made me so incredibly proud, so why wouldn’t I come? Especially when you’re in the same freaking city for once.”

I roll my eyes. “I’m guessing Axel’s told you everything about the last few days, has he?”

“He got that information from Bishop.”

“Ah, so there is a rat. You are really very good, Mom.”

“But I want to hear everything from the horse’s mouth, Chloe. You and Bishop. Everything. Now.”

“Should I get popcorn?” Maddie jokes.

I blush. “What do you want to know, Mom?”

“Maybe start at the fact he broke your heart, and yet, apparently, you’re back together…”