Page 19 of Coerced Queen

Livy walks into the entrance just as I see Tersia off.

“It didn’t go well,” Livy says with sympathy when I close the door.

“No.”

“It’s not easy being on the outside.”

I’m not sure it’s easier on the inside.

The door opens again.

A guard sticks his head around the jamb.“Mrs.De Luca, there’s a woman outside who says she’s your mother.”

Livy and I look at each other quickly.

“What does she look like?”I ask.

He holds up his phone and shows me a photo.

I blow out a shaky breath.“Send her in.”

“Anya,” Livy says with a note of worry in her voice.

“Don’t worry.”I open the door wider and fix my gaze on the stocky woman who marches up the driveway.“I won’t let her take advantage of me this time.”

“Well, knock me over with a fucking feather,” my mom says as she stomps up the steps, tipping back her head to gawk at the house.“This place is fucking huge.Looks like a palace.”

“Mom.”

She stops in front of me.

I don’t step aside to let her in.“What are you doing here?”

Pulling her eyes into slits, she cranes her neck to the side and looks over my shoulder.“Look who the cat dragged in.Hello, Olivia.”

“Mary,” Livy says in a toneless voice behind me.

“You’ve got some explaining to do,” I say.

“Aren’t you gonna invite your mama in?”

“How did you get here?”

She grins.“Hitchhiked.”She drags a sly gaze over me.“You look good.Expensive.”

“You haven’t answered my question, Mom.What are you doing here?Why did you break out of the center?”

She adopts a shocked expression, but her acting is poor.“Saw the news.”Slamming her thigh, she cackles like a hen.“Bam!That must’ve been one big fucking explosion.”

“I’m fine.”My tone is dry.“Thanks for asking.”

“Oh come on.”She rolls her eyes.“I came as fast as I could.”

“Is that why you stabbed Bertrand?”

She shrugs, her grin in place.“How else was I supposed to get to my little girl?You could’ve been dead.”

Livy scoffs.

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