Page 73 of Brutal Mate

Bonnie grunted but said nothing, rolling her eyes as she stalked back into the manor to leave them alone.

“Mama, Bonnie is a friend,” Miley said, crossing her arms over her chest to protect herself from whatever venom her mother had come to spill. “She’s just protective.”

Speaking of protective, Miley could sense Kane not far behind her, hiding in the shadow of the house so as not to be seen.

She knew that if her mother so much as tried to touch one hair on her head, he would reveal himself in a flash.

It was more than a little comforting to know that he was there.

“I…umm…I came to tell you that I'm…I'm sorry.”

A lump formed in Miley's throat. Her mother glanced down, playing with her fingernails as if embarrassed or maybe even nervous.

“Excuse me?” Miley asked, stepping back, her hands falling to her sides.

Then, her mother looked at her and said again, “I’m sorry,” and she knew she hadn't been hearing things.

She was about to ask what for when her mother continued, “I never should have let that God awful man lay on finger on you. I should have left years ago. Hell, I never should have married him.”

Miley's stomach twisted and she fought the urge to move away when her mother stepped forward and cupped her face in her hands. “The only good thing to come from him was you.”

“Mama, what exactly are you saying? Why are you here?” Miley asked, her heart aching.

“I came to say goodbye, my little Miley bug,” her mother said, and Miley's chest tightened. Her mother hadn't called her that since she was a little girl.

“Mama, what are you going to do?” Miley demanded, suddenly terrified.

With tears in her eyes, her mother smiled and gripped Miley's hands. “Don't worry, bug, I’m doing what I should have done years ago. Now I know you're safe, now I know he can never hurt you again, I'm leaving him.”

Astonishment overwhelmed Miley and tears streaked down her face.

“Are you serious? Where will you go?”

Her mother smirked then and squeezed her cheeky gently. “Don't you worry about me, bug.”

“But—but where—”

Her mother wiped a tear from Miley's face and said, “Your Grandmama Peters called me. She said she had a feeling her son was up to no good. She offered for me to go take up that big ole guestroom of hers.”

Miley's heart soared thinking of her grandma. She had called her several times in the last few months. The old woman had even attended the wedding. But it was astonishing to think her father's mother would have her own mother to stay, even if she was leaving her son.

“She said she got even lonelier after you left,” her mother continued. “Said she's getting on and could use some help around the farm.”

Overwhelmed with joy, Miley rushed forward and hugged her mother. “You better say hi to grumpy old Moses for me.”

“I'll do that,” her mother promised, squeezing her back. “You make sure that man of yours never beats you, you hear me? If he does, you know where to come find us.”

“He would never!” Miley gasped. Kane might have looked like a rough and tumble kind of guy, and yes, he could be rough in the bedroom, but she was certain he would never lay a hand on her that she didn't expressly ask for.

As if he sensed the moment was right, Kane revealed himself from the shadow of the house and came to join them. Pulling Miley from her mother's embrace, he wrapped his arm around her waist and looked to her mother. “You have my word, nobody will ever lay a hand on your precious daughter ever again.”

Her mother cried then and held out her arms. “May I?”

Miley was surprised when Kane actually gave her mother a hug. It was an odd yet happy sensation to feel as she watched the two of them. Never in her wildest dreams could she have imagined this.

She most definitely wasn’t dreaming.

“Do you need a ride out of town?” Kane asked, and Miley couldn't help but laugh.

---