Page 158 of Filthy Savage

He nods with understanding, but there’s no way he can ever understand.

“Until the day you walked up to our door, I had never so much as heard him yell. Now, my mother…well, she’s a different story.” He scoffs. “I’ve spent my life hearing her tell me I’m not good enough. That I was ungrateful for everything I had.”

“Seems like we have that in common.”

The waitress places the drinks on our table, and we quickly give our orders before we resume the conversation.

“So your mom was like that too, huh?”

“Yeah. It was just me and her, and she made it her mission to make me feel like dirt every time she could. Didn’t help that she had an addiction to cocaine and refused to work, so it was up to me to pay for the bills and keep us alive.”

“Shit.” His brows shoot up. “I’m sorry.”

I twist my mouth. “It is what it is, but I’m free of her now, thankfully.”

“Well, now I feel bad complaining about my own mother.” He chuckles dryly. “Because at least she paid the bills.”

I burst with a laugh, feeling a little lighter. Soon enough, we’re discussing his grad school and how I got a B on a paper in poli-sci that I need to discuss with the professor. Julius seems genuinely interested in my life, and I really like him.

“I would love to meet your daughter whenever you feel comfortable with that. She sounds really adorable.”

“She’s everything to me.”

At that, I look over at Fionn, his eyes glued to mine.

You okay?he mouths, and I nod.

“I’m really glad we connected,” Julius says.

“Me too. I was so nervous.” I scowl. “But I’m glad I didn’t chicken out.”

“Nervous of me?” He snickers, running a hand through his brown hair. “I’m literally the most unintimidating person you’ll ever meet.”

He isn’t wrong. He has one of those really friendly faces with kind eyes.

As he takes another bite of his veal, his phone rings on the table. When he stares down at it, he grinds his jaw.

“You okay?”

“It’s just my mother calling. I’m gonna ignore it.” He presses a button. “So, anyway, when are you going to speak to your professor about your B? Even though I think a B is fine. But I get it.” He grins. “My sister’s ambitious.”

Sister.

That sounds so strange.

“I definitely plan to?—”

The phone rings again, interrupting us.

He groans. “I’m just gonna answer it, or she’ll keep calling.”

“Sure, go ahead.”

“What’s up, Mom?” He pinches the bridge of his nose. He pauses, shaking his head and glancing at me. “Yes, I’m still here.”

Another pause, and from the way he’s watching me, I would bet anything she’s mad that he’s here.

“Just stop, okay? Enough. I don’t care about all that.” He blows a breath, staring at the ceiling. “That’s right. That’s not my business. I’m doing this for me.” He grips the back of his head. “I’m going, Mom. I’ll see you later.”

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