Page 30 of Burned

“He didn’t suffer in the end though. He died peacefully in his sleep.”

“I know, hon. But this cancer thing, it’s tragic, but it’s not your responsibility to take care of her. That’s what she wants. She’s like a succubus, she’ll drain the life out of you if you let her. Come home with me tonight to at least get away from her. I’d sleep much better tonight knowing that you’re not being made to feel uncomfortable in your own home.”

“I can’t just leave Mom here like that.”

“Yes, you can. You have two options. You can go upstairs and get an overnight bag or I can go out there and whoop her ass. Take your pick.”

Sadie knew Lily would do it too. “Okay,” she sighed. “Let me go upstairs and pack. Please don’t do anything you’ll regret while I’m gone. Better yet, I think you should come with me.”

* * *

Rhys missed Sadie like crazy, missed holding her, inhaling her scent, missed just having her near. Ever since his confrontation with Lacey, things had been a bit stressful betweenthem. With Sadie’s mother in town, he didn’t get to see her as much as he wanted although he realized that would probably be just fine with Jackie Flowers. Though she didn’t come right out and say it, he could tell she didn’t care for him although he’d tried his hardest to charm the woman. All she seemed to do was complain even though he’d taken her and Sadie out to one of the nicest restaurants in the area and spared no expense. Rhys wasn’t sure if she didn’t like white men or if it was just him, but besides his ex-wife, he’d never met a more disagreeable woman in his life. How a harpy like that could produce someone as sweet and sensitive as his Sadie was beyond him.

Sadie wasn’t picking up hercell phone so he called her home number. It was answered on the third ring.

“Hello?” It wasn’t Sadie. Rhys recognized the voice as her mother’s.

He felt like a schoolboy asking permission to speak to his girlfriend on a school night. “Hello, Mrs. Flowers. May I speak to Sadie, please?”

“She ain’t here.”

“Do you know when she’ll be back?”

“Nope.”

“Could you leave her a message that I called.”

“I could, but you’re wasting your time.”

“Pardon me?”

“Sadie will end up with her ex-boyfriend. She always does. They always break up and make up. You know how it is.”

He froze. What the hell was this woman talking about? Sadie’s ex? From his understanding, her ex had married his child’s mother. “That’s odd, you wouldn’t happen to be talking about the one who got married behind her back?”

Jackie snorted. “As if a little thing like that would stop them from getting back together. Those two are like peanut butter and jelly. You mark my word, she’ll be back with him. Anyway, he’s no longer with that tramp he married. Guess he realized what Sadie soon will—they belong together.”

Rhys bit the inside of his lip to hold back the angry retort. “Well, I would imagine that’s Sadie’s decision. Please tell her I called.” He hung up before the woman could respond.

What the hell was that about? Sadie never mentioned anything about getting a back with her ex. She never mentioned him at all beyond relaying what a jerk he’d been. It didn’t make sense.

As he sat in his office, he stewed over the conversation he’d had with Sadie’s mother and realized, he couldn’t wait for Sadie to get home. He tried her cell phone again.

“Rhys?” Sadie answered.

“Yes, it’s me.”

“So where are you?”

“I’m with Lily. I’m staying the night with her. I needed a break from my mom and my sister rescued me. Does that sound terrible?”

After talking to her mother Rhys couldn’t say he blamed her. “Oh. I just got off the phone with her. You didn’t answer your cell earlier so I called the home number and you weren’t there so I was worried.”

“Oh, I had my phone on silent. I saw you’d called so I was in the process of calling you back.”

“I see.”

“Are you okay? Did my mother say something to upset you?”

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