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A slender hand with long, red nails fills my vision. I take hold, and she pulls me to my feet. There’s strength in her arm. I smile and look at her, then intense shock shudders through me.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” she chuckles. “I never thought the man would grow a pair and let you out.”
Holy. Shit.
Still stunned out of my ever-loving mind, I whisper, “Mom?”
She looks like my mother, but then again, she doesn’t. Her black hair is a little longer than mine, cut into a short bob style. Her features are harder, and all the warmth I remember is gone from her eyes.
“Once upon a time, I was a mother.” She shakes her head. “Now I’m Rachel. I see you’ve grown up…” Her eyes rake over me. “A little.” Her cold gaze locks on mine. “Who’s your trainer?”
“Huh?” After two years, that’s what she asks me? “Ch-Chance.”
Her eyebrow lifts a little. She must’ve visited Dawn, too, because they’re perfect.
What a stupid thought to have at this moment.
“The Daniels boy. Good.”
I realize I didn’t even know Chance’s last name. Damn, that’s bad and another shock to my system.
“I heard the other one got gunned down. You better get yourself in shape. No daughter of mine will be gunned down for DNA bait. You hear me?”
I nod, then swallow, then nod again, still trying to process the shock of seeing my mother after so long.
She called me her daughter.
The shock finally lifts enough for me to come to my senses. I shake my head at her as confusion and heartache bloom in my chest. “That’s it? After two years, that’s all you have to say to me?”
She shrugs. “It’s a tough world, Jasper. The sooner you learn that, the better.”
“Seriously!” My body starts to tremble, anger quickly replacing the confusion and hurt. “What happened to you?”
“I learned the only way to survive is to fight.” She pushes past me, but I grab her arm to stop her.
“I came here to find you.” My voice is strained.
“Good.” The corner of her mouth lifts a little, but it’s nothing like the smile I remember. “The drill zone is down the middle passage. I’ll see you there.”
When she walks away, I bend over and rest my hands on my knees, trying to breathe through the intense heartache, anger, and disappointment.
I found Mom, and it looked like she couldn’t care less that I’m here.
Jesus fucking Christ, as Chance would bluntly put it.
I gasp through another wave of sharp heartache and shake my head. I lean back against the wall and stare up at the stars, but they blur as the tears come.
What happened to her that all the warmth is gone from her?
I remember how she used to tell me bedtime stories and how she used to braid my hair. Her loving smiles. Her tender touches.
Every memory cuts like a knife, ripping sobs from me.
When I hear voices, I rush off into the shadows, finding a quiet place to process what just happened.
I couldn’t wait to see her again, and she looked at me like I was nothing to her.
Sobs wrack through me, and I cover my mouth as I crouch down.
Too much has happened today, and I don’t want to think about it all. It will kill me.
After a couple of minutes, I manage to calm down and straighten up. I wipe the tears from my cheeks, doing my best to shove all the hurt and disappointment into the darkest corner of my heart.
I can’t believe this just happened.
Don’t think about it.
If she can cut me out of her life so easily, I’ll do the same to her.
Another wave of unbearable loss hits, and I groan, quickly shoving it down.
Don’t think about her.
Deep breaths.
I clear my throat and suck in deep breaths of air, then square my shoulders and walk toward the park so I can find Chance. More than ever, I need his arms around me.
A group of people are dancing near the pool to music I’ve never heard. It’s loud, the beat fast and vibrating in the air.
She forgot about me.
Dawn squeals behind me, and I brace myself. She throws her arms around my neck in a sloppy hug, and I get a whiff of a sharp smell on her breath.
“My new honey-girl. Come dance with me.” She stumbles, and in a daze, I help her walk to the dancing crowd.
“Awesomeness,” Gerald shrieks like a girl, then he shoves a bottle into my hand. “Drink up.”
Dawn forces the bottle to my mouth, and I end up taking a huge gulp. I cough and push her hand away after the second gulp, the bitter liquid burning down my throat.
“How freaking hot was it when Chance dragged you away?” She slurs and uses her hand to fan her face. “What I’d give for Idris to do that to me.”
