Page 45 of Unravel You

“You’re here. What do you want?” I placed my arm around Mom’s shoulder.

Bridget stalked toward me, a longing look in her eyes. As if she loved me. Anyone outside looking in would think that for sure.

“We need to talk.”

“My lawyer tells me he already said everything I needed to say to you. Just leave. I’m out of patience, Bridget.” I sauntered to the door and swung it open. My heart thrashed in my ears. Having Bridget here with that demented look in her eyes put me on edge. Thank God Valentina wasn’t here for this.

“This is because of you, isn’t it? You always hated me. You couldn’t stand that Derek listened to me and not you.” She hovered over Mom. “Answer me.”

As tall as she was, Bridget could be intimidating. Next to Mom, she looked like a giant.

“You’ve lost your mind,” Mom said.

I gripped Bridget’s arms and pulled her toward the door. She spun and threw her arms around my neck. “I know you still have feelings for me.”

“I think we both know I never did. We never had any feelings for each other. Ours was a business transaction. Nothing more. That transaction is over, Bridget.”

“What’s going on?” Valentina appeared on the other side of the door. “Why is she here?”

Just my fucking luck. Bridget snaked her arms around my neck tighter. Jesus Christ. “Enough, Bridget.” I squeezed her wrists until she let me go. The second I released her, she went after Mom.

Valentina stepped in front of Mom to block Bridget. “You lost.” For someone with a gambling addiction, those words had to hurt. Valentina knew what she was doing. “I don’t care why you’re here. But I’m glad you are because now I can remind you that if we change our minds, you can go straight to jail.”

Out of surprise or sheer fear, Bridget shuffled back, staring at Valentina as if this were the first time she’d seen her.

“Leave now, or I will call Dom and ask him to dig up all the evidence he has on you.” Valentina held the door open.

I followed close behind Bridget to where the guards waited for me. “The next time she shows up, don’t bother calling the house. Call the police.”

“Yes, sir.” The guard ushered a very dumbfounded Bridget to the SUV.

Why did she think Mom was the reason I’d finally wised up and decided I didn’t owe her a goddamn thing?

I shut the door behind me and turned to face Valentina. “I’m sorry. Dom called to let me know she might try something like this. I didn’t have time to warn the guards.”

“I’ve never seen her like that. What was that about?”

“The usual. Money.” I rubbed the side of my face.

“Thank you.” Mom hugged Valentina.

To my surprise, Valentina smiled at Mom. She glanced at me for a beat, then turned her attention back to Mom. “I want Derek to hear this so there’s no more confusion. It seems since we got here, we’ve only communicated in half sentences.”

I opened my mouth to speak but then decided against it. I had to stop being afraid of telling the truth. Though I ad to admit, I could handle Bridget all day, but not Valentina telling everyone she didn’t want to be here.

“I don’t want this house. You’ve worked so hard to make it what it is. It wouldn’t be fair for me to scoop in and take it away from you.”

“Please don’t even say that. I did it with pleasure. This house belongs to you and Derek.” Mom’s eyes welled up with tears. She was giving up the place where her children grew up, for me. To make me happy.

“I asked your mom to move in.” Valentina let out a breath. “I thought if she’s here, we could visit. For more than a month next time. And as many times as you’d like. I know you want to be here.”

“I’ll leave the two of you to have your talk.” Mom cupped Valentina’s cheek. “Thank you.”

When Mom left through the kitchen, Valentina met my gaze. “Talk to her. Then come find me in the gardens. We have a talk that’s long overdue.”

I stood there like an idiot and watched her leave. Zack walked into from the other room and bit into his sandwich. “I swear this only happens to you. You just stand there with your pretty face and things magically work out for you. You lucky bastard.”

“How long have you been standing there?”

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