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She so often did, though, because her own feelings came first to her. Alondra rarely stood still long enough to wonder how her decisions or actions could affect me. Which was exactly why I wasn’t buying this oh-so-selfless act.
“Why haven’t you already turned down the part?” I challenged.
Her head snapped up. “What?”
“You said that youwilldo it. And you do in fact sound so very against accepting the role. Yet, you haven’t rejected the offer. Why not?”
Her eyes narrowed slightly. “You don’t trust that I will?”
“No. No, I don’t. Keeping that part would provide you with the chance to do what you did to the other men in my life. Kiss Trace. And we both know that you were never simply ‘testing’ their loyalty to me. You needed to feel that they would want you more than they would me, because I’m competition in your eyes.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“The whole thingisridiculous. It’s also factual. That’s why you can’t let this go. You have to win. You have to be the most desirable woman in the scenario. You can’t be one-upped by your daughter. Oh no.”
Her face hardened. “You are merely striking out at me because you’re hurt thathedidn’t tell you about the roles we’ve both been offered.”
“You hopedI’d be hurt,” I corrected. I was hurt, to an extent, but I wouldn’t let hersee that. “You hoped he hadn’t already told me about it. You hoped you could use this for your own gain. You want the same thing you wanted the last time we spoke: Trace out of the picture. You’re simply switching tactics.”
“You always insist on believing that I have a negative motive.”
“Because it’s most often the case.”
The intercom beeped again.
Figuring it wouldn’t be so bad to have a few moments to lock down my anger, I crossed to the monitor. My pulse spiked at the sight of both Trace and Kaleb outside.Nota good time for them to be here.
I pressed the button for the speaker. “You might want to come back later, I have company right now.”
Kaleb squinted. “What kind of company?” he asked, a possessive note in his tone.
Not wanting them to think that I had another man up here—I wasn’t interesting in playing those kinds of games—I explained, “My mother is here.”
Trace shrugged. “It’s not like we haven’t met her before. Let us in. We have something we’d like to say to her anyway.”
Really? Well I’d rather be present when they said it, so I unlocked the main door with the push of a button. Turning, I found Alondra standing a few feet away.
Her eyes flared. “It’sthem, isn’t it?”
I lifted my chin. “Trace and Kaleb are on their way up, yes. You’re free to leave—”
“Oh no, I’d like to stay. I’d like to hear what Trace is so eager to say to me. I don’t doubt that it’s anything short of rude, but still.”
Well, if she thought I’d turn on Trace for being rude to her, she was very wrong.
Silence fell as we waited for the men to arrive. When a knock on the door came, I opened it wide. Despite my mother’s news about the movie role he’d neglected to tell me about, I didn’t push Trace away when he planted a soft kiss on my mouth as he entered the apartment. Purely because she’d justlovethat. I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction.
“We brought coffee and donuts,” he said, holding a scrunched up paper bag and a takeout cup. “Knowing you’re an early riser, we suspected you’d already had breakfast.”
“You suspected correctly,” I said, gratefully taking the cup he held out.
Once Trace stepped further inside, Kaleb entered and shot me a panty-dropping smile. “Hey, baby.” He cupped my nape as he gave me a quick kiss. “Hmm, love that taste.” A throat cleared, and his smile faded. He gave the back of my neck a little squeeze and kicked the door shut.
We all then turned to face my mother.
Trace briefly inclined his head as he said, “Alondra.”
Kaleb only grunted at her by way of greeting, sliding his arm around my shoulders in a plainly protective gesture.
