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And she’d chosen to ignore her.
Which meant that JoJo had truly raised Penelope on her own. But who would blame her for not wanting Penelope anywhere near Julia?
“How dare you?” She touched the pearls, flat against her chest. “You will not place the blame on me for your mistakes.”
“Penelope isn’t a mistake.”
JoJo seemed to take my thoughts and give voice to them before I had a chance.
“An affair with your sister’s husband is.”
“Be careful about throwing around accusations,” I warned.
Her hateful gaze cut to me. “Are you going to sue me?” The tone was a taunt, a dare.
“Don’t give me a reason to.” Representing others was my game, but if this witch did one thing out of line to Penelope or JoJo, I’d sue her so fast she wouldn’t see it coming.
JoJo.
I’d included protecting JoJo.
Did that mean I’d forgiven her?
Now wasn’t the time or place to look deeper into that.
“I’m prepared to do damage control,” Julia said. “But you should try to be discreet.” That ice-cold gaze landed on me. “I’m sure you’ll compensate Alma properly for your indiscretions.”
My mouth turned up in a grin. “Oh, I intend to give her exactly what she deserves.”
She gave a sharp nod. “Good.” Her look floated toward JoJo, but seemed to focus past her or above her . . . anywhere but direct. “Fix your hair before someone else sees you like this.”
And with that, she pivoted.
“Daddy wouldn’t want this,” JoJo said when her mother had taken a step away.
Julia slowly spun, and I shuddered at the pure malice on her otherwise plastic-surgery-perfect face. “Your father was a dreamer and a fool. If it weren’t for me keeping him on track, we’d all be destitute.”
JoJo staggered backward. “How can you speak of him that way? He was your husband. A damn good one for putting up with you. And he’s dead.”
“You are most definitelyhisdaughter.”
“That’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.” JoJo straightened. “Stay away from my daughter. Stay away from Kane. Stay away from me.”
“If the last twenty years are any indication, that won’t be a problem.” She shook her finger at JoJo. “If you do any more damage to what I’ve created, you will see me, and it won’t be pleasant.”
JoJo vibrated with anger as she watched her mother vaporize.
The front door slammed, and she jolted.
“You and Penelope are better off without her,” I said. “And she only said that about your father to upset you.”
She cut her gaze to me. “She meant it. We all know why she married him. I’m just sorry he never experienced a happy relationship.”
“Maybe he did.” I shrugged. We didn’t always know everything about our parents, especially the past.
She tilted her head as if considering. “I don’t understand why he married her in the first place.” Her mouth flattened. “I believe in faithfulness, but if he . . . had someone else, I wouldn’t be angry.”
“Even when you don’t love the other person, when they step out, it still hurts.” The words were out before I could stop them. I wasn’t sure I’d ever admitted that to myself. I’d given Alma my blessing to have other lovers, though part of me had always hoped she’d decide to focus on me and our relationship. That was a deluded fantasy that had died a slow death a long time ago.
