Page 64 of Knot a Good Idea

The accusation is a slap in the face.

It makes my chest ache, and my mouth falls open in shock.

“Wha—what?!” I stammer, unsure I heard her correctly.

“Are they paying you to…” My mom shakes her head and swallows. “April, are they?—”

“No.No, they’re not. I’m not fucking them for money. And even if I was, what thehell?”

Traitorous tears fill my eyes at her accusation. That she would even think that I would do that?—

“Your self worth has been awful since…since…”

“Since I came back?” I shout, slamming my hand on the kitchen island. “You can say it. Since they found me in that empty parking lot, filthy and sick! Is that what you mean?”

We’re both crying now, and it’s awful.

“There’s something you’re not telling me,” she accuses, her eyes glassy with tears. “And I’m tired of you lying to me.”

I shake my head. “I’m done with this conversation.” I sniffle. “Instead of being happy for me, you’re finding reasons to discredit it.”

Liar. You know she’s right.

Well, not about the sleeping with them part.

But am I pretending to be their girlfriends for money? Absolutely.

My mom shakes her head in exasperation. “Whenever you’re ready to tell me what’s really going on, I’m here.”

I bite my lip, guilt overwhelming me. “I’m telling you exactly what’s going on. I’m dating again. I’m getting out there again, like everyone hastold me to.”

She doesn’t believe me, though.

Tammy Waters has always been able to see through my bullshit.

But this time, I won’t budge.

The NDA won’t let me and neither will my pride.

With a huff, my mom storms out of the kitchen, leaving me feeling like a piece of shit daughter.

One that will never be normal again.

15

APRIL

“I’m so,sohappy they found you,” the stout, grey-haired woman gushes as I hand her a custom box of cookies. “And you look so good, too! Are you gaining weight? When I saw you on the news your cheekbones were so sharp, dear. You looked sick.”

I plaster a smile on my face, cringing inwardly. “Thank you. I’m just happy to be back.”

After she leaves, I catch Skylar watching me.

“It’s been more than six months now,” she grumbles, rolling her eyes. “You think they would stop talking about it. There are other issues to worry about.”

Like howOis still circulating on the black market.

O,the addictive drug they used my blood for.

---