Page 43 of Scorned

“My god, Sage. How can you ambush me like this?”

I reached across the table and grabbed her hand. “Please, Mom. If you love me, you’ll do this one thing for me. You have to. If you don’t, I’ll die. I’m already dying. I can’t live like this. I have to find him.” The pain I contained had my voice cracking, and my mother’s expression saddened.

“Then tell me why.”

“I, umm . . .” I shook my head, unable to say the words I needed to.

“Because she’s in love with him,” Vivi blurted, and my mom sucked in a hard breath.

My head fell forward and I squeezed my eyelids close as an aching pain filled my chest.

“You fell in love?” my mother asked, and I said nothing. “Sagelynn Juniper Argent, you look at me right now.”

Hearing my full name, my tear-filled eyes shot up. My mom didn’t use it often, but in the times she did, I sat up a little straighter.

“Is this true? Do you love Luka?”

“I do,” I croaked out with fear of disappointing her.

That’s what I was afraid of, I realized. I didn’t want my parents to be ashamed of me, disappointed in me. Or worse, I didn’t want to fail them. Especially my mother.

“I’m sorry, Mom.” Tears slowly rolled down my cheeks as I stared at her, waiting for the disapproval to become apparent.

“Why are you sorry? For falling in love?” she asked, and I nodded. “Oh, honey. Don’t ever be sorry for that.”

“I didn’t want to disappoint you.” I bit back tears.

“That is such an impossible thing. You couldn’t disappoint me if you tried. In fact, I’m prouder of you than I have ever been.”

Confusion filled me, and I shook my head. “Why?”

My mom glanced up at Vivi as she hovered. “Can you give us a second?”

Vivi nodded and strolled away.

My mom took in a deep breath and let out an exhausted exhale. “You have become the woman I have wanted to be my whole life. You go after what you want, and you stand up for what’s right. It’s more than I have ever done in my life. I’ve known for years about the government’s real involvement with VRC and Venom. You hear things when you’re around enough. Especially when no one thinks you’re listening. But I do. I’m hearing everything I’m not supposed to.” She looked away as her thoughts took over, sadness washing over her face.

“I don’t want you to do anything that could get you in trouble, Mom.”

She let out another large sigh. When her gaze met mine again, a look of pure happiness radiated across her face. “I can’t believe my daughter is in love.”

“I regret not telling him,” I whispered. “Now he’s gone and doesn’t know.”

Her eyes sparkled. “Luka knows, baby. Believe me. The person you fall in love with always knows.”

My emotions broke free, sending silent streams down my face.

My mother grabbed her cloth napkin and wiped her dampened cheeks. I took the opportunity to do the same.

After clearing her throat, she leaned over the table and whispered, “White Sands Missile Range.”

The location of White Sands was south of where I was currently staying and a place I visited as a child. “What?”

“VRC is somewhere close to it. I’m unsure where, but I may be able to help. But it will involve, um, Nicole.”

Partnering with the woman I watched put Luka into a Venom van was the last thing I wanted. But I had no other choice. And even though I didn’t trust Naomi, my mom did . . . and I feared for her life.

Chapter 13

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