Page 115 of The Bonus

“No.”

Hmm…

“Does she have any…” I pause as I try to articulate my words, “…man friends that come over sometimes?”

“Just Jack.”

“Jack?”

There’s a Jack?

“Who’s Jack?”

“Oh, he’s Dom’s Little League coach.”

“Oh…he is, is he?” I narrow my eyes, the old sporting coach lusting after the single mom trick…hey? “Isn’t that against some code of ethics or something?”

“Code of what?”

“Never mind.” I sip my coffee and the vile taste of burned poison hits my tongue. I cough and nearly choke.

What the…?

“What’s wrong?” Lucia frowns.

“This isn’t coffee.”

“What is it, then?”

“It’s a Molotov cocktail.” I wince.

This damn woman can’t cook for shit.

“A Molotov what…?”

Fuck me.

“You ask a lot of questions.” I cut her off.

“You say a lot of weird things…”

“Thank you for pointing that out.” I drag my hand down my face. The sooner I get out of here, the better… “That’s if I make it out alive before being poisoned to death,” I mutter under my breath.

“Who’s poisoning to death?”

“Nobody,” I snap. Dear lord, I’ve never wanted to scream Mind your own business at someone so much in my life.

I feel someone’s eyes on me, and I turn to see Dominic standing at the door, watching us. He’s in checked pajamas and his hair is standing on end. “Good morning, Dominic.” I force a smile, determined to do better with him today.

“Hi,” he grumbles as he walks into the kitchen. “Where’s Mom?”

“Out the back,” Lucia replies as she eats her cereal.

He walks straight past me and disappears out the back door, and I stand and watch him through the window. He walks out to Grace as she hangs the washing on the line. She gives him a big broad smile and drops to her knee and hugs him tight. They hug while he says something to her and she laughs and says something back.

My stomach twists with jealousy.

Of course he likes her more, she’s had him his entire life while I have been hidden and lied to.

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