Into the Fire Ch. 07

"I'll be right upstairs." He grasped the side of my face and kissed me while my mother sighed audibly. "Holler if you need me." He went upstairs, I waited for the door to close before I spoke. "Mom, what are you doing here? I thought you were in Mexico."

"The question is what are you doing here?" She waved her hand around, obviously annoyed at the modest surroundings. "Honestly Contessa, this has to be the dumbest thing you've ever done, not to mention baffling. Who in the hell wants to live in the middle of the woods? Leave it to you to find the trashiest man to start dating."a

I inhaled sharply. I usually let her rant on about whatever she wanted without protest, but not this time, and not about Shane. "He's not trash. He happens to be the most intelligent and kindest man I've ever met, which you'd know if you even bothered to get to know him."

She turned up her nose at the suggestion. "I don't need to get to know him, because this? This isn't happening. He's not good enough, and I'm not going to have some leech try to worm his way into our family. Now go upstairs and get your things so I can get out of this place."

I stood my ground. "No."

She raised an eyebrow, surprised at my sudden defiance. "Don't mess with me, Contessa. Get your things. Now."

"No. I'm staying. I'm not a little girl anymore, and you don't scare me."

She gave a twisted smile that reminded me of the Grinch. "Okay, fine. Stay in this hovel. You want to be an adult? Enjoy the fifty thousand your father gave you, and this year's tuition, because that is the last penny you get from us. You're on your own. Don't come crawling back to us when this little "relationship" crashes and burns. You're a brat, and eventually he'll leave you. And you deserve it, because you are nothing. You are weak, and ugly, and small. You will end up broke and alone. Have a good life. " She turned on her red-bottom heels and strolled out the front door without another look back.

I eyed the door for a moment, trying to figure out what just happened. I eventually sat on the bottom step and rested my head on my knees, not wanting to move. After a while I heard the bedroom door open, Shane came downstairs and sat next to me. "You okay, sweetheart?"

"No." I mumbled softly.

"Want to tell me what happened?"

"No."

"Anything I can do to help?"

"No."

He stood and went into the kitchen. I heard glasses rattling, then he returned.

"Drink this."

I glanced at him and saw him handing me a glass of something dark; whiskey or bourbon, I didn't care at the moment. I sat up and took it from him, shooting half of it back. Fire course through my throat, making me cough. I took a smaller sip, the liquor warming my stomach. "Thanks."

"That's what I'm here for. Sex and booze." He gave a small smile. "It's going to be okay."

I traced the rim of the glass with my finger. "I just don't know why she hates me so much."

He tucked my hair behind my ear. "If she can't see what an amazing person you are, then it's her loss. And if it helps, I'm not going anywhere, okay? I'll be your family. I'm here."

I leaned over and nuzzled his shoulder. "Thank you. Is the offer to live together next year still available?"

He sighed dramatically. "I guess so. But the rent has gone up. It will now cost you sex five times a day. Utilities include making me lunch and telling me how beautiful I am. I'll need first and last month's payment up front."

I looked up at him and gave a genuine smile. "You're beautiful. And I love you."

He kissed my forehead. "Right back at ya, sweetheart."