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Her big brown eyes filled with happiness. “Yes. I’m so excited! This is such a gorgeous condo and so spacious. I’ve never lived in a place as dreamy as this.”
“Well, welcome. I own this condo and live next door,” I told her. I supposed she didn’t really need to know that I owned it but I wanted to impress her a bit.
“That’s so cool. I’ll look forward to seeing you around then.” She blushed, and I couldn’t help but be flattered at her crushing on me.
“You’re welcome to knock on my door anytime you need me. For anything.” I winked.
“What is going on in here?” The voice was one that I knew well, but it still made me feel like I did when I was in the principal’s office (which I had been in more times than I could count).
We both turned around, and I sensed Addison’s nervousness at the sound of her sister’s voice. It was nice to see I wasn’t the only one that almost wet my pants whenever I heard it.
“Thane’s putting my bed together for me. We were just getting acquainted,” Addison told Darcy, innocence permeating her voice.
Darcy’s eyes found mine, and the message was clear.Stay the fuck away from her.
* * *
Darcy
“Thane seems really nice,” Addison said as she entered the kitchen a few hours after Thane left.
I eyed her and hated the look of adoration on her face, even if I could understand her attraction to him. I wrinkled up my brows and replied, “Sometimes things aren’t what they seem.”
Addison looked confused.
I was instantly mad at myself for saying it. “I’ve had a few run-ins with him,” I explained.
“Okay. Well, I’m going to go over and thank him at some point,” she said.
“Just be careful,” I warned her.
“About what?”
“Thane is not someone you can trust with certain things. Be careful what personal information you share with him,” I explained.
“Okay, I will keep that in mind. I’m going to get my room organized.”
It was so great to see her excited. It would be interesting to live with my little sister again; I was looking forward to it.
“Okay. I’m going to go for a drive and speak to Mom,” I told her.
Addison stopped and looked at me. “I’d like to come with you.”
I shook my head. “I think I should talk to her on my own, Addy. I need to tell her where you’re living, and I don’t want her to upset you anymore.”
“I know, but I don’t want you to deal with her all by yourself,” Addison said, a look of concern and guilt washing over her soft features.
“You have nothing to feel guilty for, Addy. This is all on her, not you,” I explained. I hated seeing my sister so stressed.I hugged her and got ready for the long drive to Orlando.
Damn our mother.It had been so hard when we were younger after our father had been taken away. I had just turned 15 and had to get a full-time job cleaning houses to pay for everything as our mom, Cheryl, had gone into a deep depression. Our father, Rick, had been found guilty of killing four women. We were all shocked. Our mom had blamed herself, saying she was his wife and should’ve seen it. She spiraled downward, relying heavily on alcohol and drugs to get her through. It didn’t matter how many rehab centers I put her in, nothing helped. All I cared about was Addison; an 11-year-old didn’t need to deal with all of that. Yet I felt I had failed my mother. I needed to save her but I didn’t know what else I could do.
All this was churning around in my brain on my drive to my mother’s little apartment. I had no idea what I’d find when I got there; it was anyone’s guess. I turned down the street and was reminded of how much of a slum the neighborhood was.Thank God Addy doesn’t live here anymore.I entered the small parking lot and walked to her door, number 212. I stepped over the drunken man hunched over and ignored the heckling calls of the teenage boys standing a few doors down.
I knocked, not expecting an answer. I was surprised when the door opened, and our mother appeared wearing only a long, holey, sports jersey, hair looking like it hadn’t been washed or brushed in months. Her sunken eyes had dark circles surrounding them, track marks on her inner arms, and she stank of alcohol. She wobbled and swayed as she took a step backward.
“Shit, Ma!” I pushed the door open and walked past her. I stood in astonishment at the condition of the small apartment. It was a pigsty, and that was putting it nicely. I couldn’t even see the floor or the kitchen counter. What I did see was the white powder on the coffee table. Cocaine. It was her favorite, but one day it would likely kill her. I had to hold my breath from the putrid smell of rotting food and… was that urine?
“What right do you have barging in here without an invitation?” Her voice was raspy and shaky.
