Page 110 of After the Vows

Mom snorts. “Oh, please. You marry a man with a daughter? You promised you’d never have children.”

Because I didn’t want to become her. I rake my gaze over my mother. She’s wearing form fitting red pants and matching red high heels with a white sheer blouse. Her hair – the same shade as mine – is pulled into a French twist and her lips are painted the same shade of red as her pants.

She’s made up to perfection. I glance down at my simple black pants andFive Fathoms Brewerypolo shirt. We’re nothing alike.

“How much did Holly pay you for inside information on your daughter?”

Mom doesn’t answer but Holly doesn’t hesitate. “Five-thousand dollars and it was worth every penny.”

Why did I ever worry about becoming my mother? I would never sell secrets of a friend or family for my own benefit. But Mom didn’t hesitate.

“You wasted your money. You can’t have Natalia, Holly.”

“Natalia is my daughter!” she shrieks. “You’re the one who can’t have her.”

“I won’t let you steal her away from her father.”

“It’s not stealing when the judge gives me custody after he finds out your marriage to Lucas is fake.”

I peek at Judge Clara. She can’t find out my marriage to Lucas started out as an arrangement. She can’t give custody of Natalia to Holly. I won’t allow it.

“I love Lucas. He’s mine now. Go find your own man.”

“Lucas is my man!” Holly picks up the chair she was using to balance herself and throws it in my direction. It lands on the floor and breaks into pieces.

But Holly isn’t deterred. She picks up another chair and hurls it.

“I am done with this shit,” Sophia mutters before stomping forward.

I shackle her wrist. “Don’t. She’ll hurt you.”

The door flies open and Lucas and Weston burst inside. Weston rushes to Holly.

“Don’t touch me! I wasn’t doing anything wrong!” Holly fights him but he doesn’t have any trouble cuffing her. He leads her toward the door as he reads her, her rights.

Lucas prowls toward me. “Are you okay? Did she hurt you?” He growls. “Did she touch you?”

“I’m okay. She was a bitch, but she didn’t hurt me.”

He glances at the broken chairs on the floor. “What happened here?”

“She threw them at me.”

His gaze sharpens. “You certain you aren’t hurt?” He pinches my chin and tilts my head back. “She didn’t hit you?”

I grasp his hand. “I promise she didn’t hurt me.”

“Thank fuck.” He wraps his arms around me and I fall into him.

“No wonder there’s all this fuss,” Mom says.

I groan. “I guess I better introduce you to my mom.”

“Not interested. She’s nothing to you or us.”

“Don’t you worry,” Mom purrs. “I promise you’ll enjoy me more than my hand me downs.”

I groan. I knew it. I knew my mother would hit on him.

---