AllFreeNovel
Share Us
No.
“Whatever you say.” I went to walk past her, but she lifted a hand, and I raised my arm ready to block that next hit. She’d gotten one slap, I wasn’t taking another.
We locked gazes, and she frowned. “You really need to work on your attitude. I expect better from you.”
For the first time in my life, I hated her. “Okay.” I kept it as non-combative as I could. Truthfully, I didn’t expect better from her. Sadly, this was my mother. She’d always been this woman. In all likelihood, if Archie was right, when this was over, my mother would be the one hurting.
And all I’d have were I told you so’s and pieces to pick up.
“May I be excused? You wanted me to put the cats up.”
With a sigh, she stepped aside and waved me away. It didn’t surprise me the cats were already in my room. Tabby’s tail stuck out from under the bed. Tory peered at me from inside the open closet door and Tiddles sat in the middle of my desk, tail lashing.
“Sorry, guys,” I murmured. “I’ll be home right after school. I promise.” I double-checked the food, the water, and the litter, then shut the door before grabbing the trash bag with the used litter from my bathroom.
Thankfully, Mom wasn’t in the kitchen anymore, and I made it outside without encountering either of them. Coop was right there when I came out, and I didn’t care how it looked, I set the trash bag down before wrapping my arms around him.
He squeezed gently as he held me close. Eyes closed, I took a deep breath of him and the faint spiciness of his soap. He spread his hand out against my back before rubbing it in slow circles.
“Tell me what happened.” It wasn’t a question.
“I don’t really want to talk about it.”
And I didn’t. This—I never liked talking about my mother. It was bad enough they all knew about her affair and the fact Mr. Standish had spent the night. A shudder rolled over me and despite the warm air, I was freezing.
Coop just held me while I tried to get it together. I didn’t want to cry. I really didn’t want to cry. Leaning on him helped, but it didn’t take away the fact I still had to see them later that day.
And we couldn’t keep standing here. If they came out—just no. When I pulled back, Coop tightened his arm and then studied my face. With very light fingers, he traced my cheekbone. It stung a little. She’d really gotten me.
His eyes narrowed, and he glared back at my apartment.
“Just let it go,” I told him.
“No,” he said, then pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead. “I’m tired of her hurting you.”
“Right now, I just want to leave.” Please don’t make this a big deal. I didn’t say it aloud, because I knew the answer. Coop pressed his lips to my forehead again and held there. Tension corded his arms as he sighed.
“Okay,” he said, finally. “Okay.” But he glanced back at the door, and I could almost read the need to knock on it again. Coop would fight my battles for me. It was easy to forget he didn’t back down, even when he was so live and let live. That he let me talk him into it now was a gift.
Or maybe we were just delaying the inevitable.
Letting me go, he grabbed the trash bag with one hand and my backpack with the other. “Jake’s almost here.”
Early.
They were both super early, and I didn’t have it in me to complain.
We headed toward the parking lot, and I debated just sliding into my car, but we had a plan. To be honest, as much as a part of me longed to run away, I didn’t want to be alone.
The familiar yellow SUV pulled to a stop as we reached the parking lot.
“Go get in,” Coop said. “I’m throwing this away.”
He diverted toward the dumpster and didn’t relinquish my backpack, so I just headed for Jake’s car. He leaned over and pushed open the front passenger door. He searched my face with every bit of the intensity Coop had. The moment he latched onto the red mark on my cheek, his lips thinned.
“Who the fuck hit you?”
“It’s nothing, okay?” I slid into the seat and did my best not grimace. The pain relievers hadn’t kicked in for the cramps, and they were worse on day two than on day one. Hell, even my back hurt today. It would be better by tomorrow. Just had to make it through the day.
