Page 68 of Survival

“Izzy?” Mom asked, but this time her voice sounded appalled. I stiffened, and when I turned my head to look at her, I found her exchanging a concerned glance with my uncle before she looked back at me. “Is that true?”

I popped a shoulder. “Why would we lie?” I snapped, surprising myself with the bitterness lining my tone.

Anger flared in Mom’s eyes with my response, and I knew at that moment that any chance we had for a civil reunion had just flown out the door. “You’re kidding, right? After everything you went through in the fall? You want to risk that again by sharing a room with your boyfriend?”

Her glare went to Tucker, and my own eyes flashed.How dare she?She knewnothingabout what our lives were like now. How dare she judge what I chose to do with my life?What Ihaveto do to survive.

Tucker stepped closer, his abs pressing securely against my back, and he slid an arm around my waist under my breasts. “I will never put Izzy in that situation again.” His voice growled from over me.

Mom’s eyes snapped to his, her hands going to her hips. “This doesn’t concern you, Tucker. Either of you boys. This is between me and my daughters. Especially you, young lady.” She looked back at me. “You are crazy if you think I’m going to just sit aside while you shack up with your boyfriend inmyhouse and not say anything.”

“Yourhouse? Funny, it feels like it’s only been Annie and I living here formonths.” I saw Archer watching with wide eyes, and I knew I should hold back, but something inme had snapped. Luckily, Uncle Blake seemed to notice, and he quickly swept my brother out the back door as I exploded.

“You left us, Mom, whether you meant to or not. You need to deal with it. Things have changed. Oh, and that leads me to Tucker. He’s notjustmy boyfriend. Heproposed, Mom, right about the time you were sticking too many pills down your throat. So, if I feel like sharing a room withmy fiancé, I will. Especially since it’sliterallythe only way I can function and sleep.He’sbeen here for me.” I clasped my arm over his, securing him to me around my waist, his body like a rock behind mine. “While you’ve been off taking care ofyourself,Tuckerhas beeneverythingfor me. I’m glad you’re better. I’m so happy for you. Archer needs you, but Annie and I? We’ve got things figured out on our own. So, no thanks.”

I flicked my hair back over my shoulders and took off for the stairs, but as soon as my hand touched the railing, Mom’s voice rang out cold with her warning.

“Unless you’re heading up there to clear your things out of that guest room, young lady, you willnotbe heading up there. I mean it. I messed up, yes. I will forever regret it, but I willnotstand by while you ruin your future. You arenotgetting married, and you arenotsharing a room with Tucker.”

I scoffed, my derisive laugh ringing throughout the room. “Fine. I won’t stay here, then.” I took off up the stairs, leaving everyone gaping behind me.

I heard the front door slam shut moments later, and footsteps followed me up the stairs while I headed straight to my old room to grab a bag from the closet.

Jet stopped in the doorway with Annie to watch. “Um, are you sure about this, Izzy?”

“Positive.” I brushed past them and headed to the guest room, finding Tucker waiting on the upstairs landing. “There’s another bag in my closet if you need one,” I said, hurrying past him into our room. I started grabbing my things from the bathroom, tossing them into my bag, and came out to find all three of them standing in the room. I set my bag on the bed and headed to the chest of drawers.

“Tucker, are you packing?”

“No.”

I glanced over my shoulder as I grabbed some pajamas and a change of clothes. “I doubt Mom’s just going to let us stay here. But you’ve got stuff at your place, anyway.” I shook my head for not thinking and then my eyes widened as I realized the problem. “Crap, you’re thinking about your parents, right? I know they aren’t a fan of us staying together over at your place, but do you think they can make an exception? At least for tonight?”

“Maybe, but I’m not going to ask.”

I stopped with my hands hovering with my clothes over my bag and looked up at his tone. The warmth swirling in his gaze was stagnant, hardened with the lines of his jaw, and I finally took in his stance and the way his arms were crossed over his chest, every muscle from his neck down through his legs tense. He was pissed.

“Tucker?”

“Can y’all give us a minute?”

“Yeah. Sure.” Jet quickly guided Annie from the room.

I dropped my clothes on top of the bag and stood straight, confused. “What’s wrong?”

He shook his head, his eyes glancing away as I watched the muscle tick in his jaw. “You seriously don’t know?”

I wracked my brain, desperate to make sense of it. What had I done? “Are you mad that I yelled at Mom? Because I know I probably shouldn’t have, but what she said down there and accused us of?” I shook my head, disgusted. “I just couldn’t.”

“How about whatyousaid down there?”

“What?” Seriously, what had I done? My chest clenched, terrified that he was mad. That I’d ruined things somehow.

He brought his hardened gaze back to mine, his body unmoving in his anger. Just fury in his expression and the set of his jaw. “That we’reengaged? The last time I checked, you turneddownmy ring.”

Understanding washed over me. “Let’s fix that, then. Where is it?” I walked towards the nightstand.

“It’s not here. And I’m not giving it to you.”

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