Page 92 of Fought and Freed

“You!” The woman pointed at Cody and stepped past Maddy to storm around the couch. “I should have known you wouldn’t be too far away. You were always up my son’s ass. Where is he?” She looked around. “Ryder!”

Cody moved to stand in front of the basement stairs, subtly blocking her way. “He’s not here, Jeanne.”

“Wait a minute. You’re Ryder’s mother.” Maddy clenched her fists. While she couldn’t hit Amber because she was pregnant, this bitch was fair game. And boy did she deserve it. “The bitch who sold Ryder to her friends.”

Jeanne stuck her nose in the air. “He wasn’t good for anything else.”

Maddy took a step toward the evil bitch.

Arms wrapping around Maddy from behind stopped her, and Ryder’s voice filled her ear. “She’s not worth it, Silk. Trust me.”

“But she hurt you,” Maddy seethed through clenched teeth.

He kissed her neck before addressing his mother. “What do you want, Jeanne?”

She shot Ryder a venomous glare. “I knew you were hiding somewhere, you worthless piece of shit. Where is your sister?”

Furious, Maddy struggled in Ryder’s arms, but he held tight to her. “How would I know where either of my sisters are? You made sure to damage what relationship I had with them.”

“We’ve checked everywhere else. This is the only other place for her to go.” Jeanne’s gaze swept over what was visible of the house. “She needs to go back to her husband. He misses her.”

Maddy stilled as realization dawned. Was that who he’d been talking to and leaving at all hours to go see? Why didn’t he just tell them?

“I’m sure he misses his punching bag.” Ryder’s voice came out icy. “Why would you want your daughter to be someone’s punching bag?”

“It was nothing.” Jeanne waved one hand. “She got lippy, and he slapped her across the face. She made it out to be much worse than what it was.”

Ryder released Maddy. “It wasn’t a slap, Mother. He punched her, and it wasn’t the first time.”

“Big deal. So, she gets slapped around a little bit. He’s going to be president one day,” she said proudly.

“How about I slap you around and see how you like it, bitch?” Maddy lunged toward her.

Jeanne gasped and stumbled a step back.

Ryder wrapped his arms back around Maddy, keeping a hold of her. “Why do you care, Jeanne? What’s in it for you?”

Her hand fluttered to her chest. “There is nothing in it for me. I do everything for my children.”

Maddy snorted. “You mean the children you deem worthy.”

She ignored Maddy’s comment. “Richard has a campaign dinner, and he needs Honey there.”

“Now, I get it,” Ryder sneered. “If Honey becomes a senator’s wife or even the first wife, you can play the caring mother-in-law and get invited to all the parties.”

“So, what?” She pushed some hair away from her face and stood taller. “After everything I did for you three, I deserve it.”

“Lady, you have three seconds to get out of my house before I throw you out the door,” Maddy growled.

“And you can tell Dicky-boy that Honey is never coming back,” Ryder added.

“So, you do know where she is.” She lifted her chin to stare down her nose at him. “I’ll call the police and tell them you kidnapped Honey.”

“Bitch, you do not want to try my patience. One…” Maddy shrugged out of Ryder’s hold and took one step closer to her. “Two…”

She huffed and stormed back out the door.

Maddy slammed the door behind her before turning toward Ryder. “You should have let me hit her.”

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