Page 40 of Obsessed

Across the screen were three letters that caused him far too much pain.

Mom.

Dashing to the storage room, Rain started weaving his way to the back, pressingaccept.

“Hi, Mom.” He fake-smiled so his voice would sound cheerful, but truthfully, he was terrified. Even though he’d been texting and taking her calls, his visits to her office had lapsed. He’d gotten too comfortable at Mason’s but he’d been working hard on himself and she would only sully what he’d been building, so he didn’t want to see her in person.

“Babeeee, where have you been? I’m worried that you’re gonna miss my special day.” She sounded on the edge of hysteria and Rain took a deep breath, his palms sweating. To be honest, he’d been planning to stop by her workplace this week with a birthday gift, knowing that he’d take some mental damage, but it would hold her off for a while.

“I’m not going to miss it, Mom-”

“Liar,” she barked.

Rain sat down hard on the couch, pulling his braid out of its bun and fiddling with the end.

“I’m telling the truth. How about I treat you to lunch tomorrow? I’m sorry I haven’t been around. I have two jobs and I’ve been working a lot.” He hated that she made him feel like he was still under her thumb.

“So, you’re gonna get me a big gift then?” Her mood changed on a whim but Rain was used to it.

“You bet. I already have it wrapped.” But it wasn’t going to be good enough after this conversation, so he needed to go out early in the morning and buy something else.

“You know what you can get me?” she asked in a leading tone and Rain braced for impact. “Come home for dinner. I want us all to eat together.”

Home? Gage’s shitty rental house wasn’thomeand he hadn’t been back there since he’d dashed in for a few important belongings and the SD cards, which he still hadn’t looked at because they would probably traumatize him.

Rain couldn’t help it, he let out a disbelieving laugh. “Like a family?”

She went silent, and Rain instantly regretted snapping because when she finally spoke, her icy tone chilled him to his bones.

“Rain, get your ass here tomorrow night. I don’t care if you have work, it’smybirthday. I brought you into this world and I’ll fucking take you out.”

“How’s the food?”

Rain picked at his meal, which his mother had ordered from a delivery app, and if Rain hadn’t answered the door and plated it all himself, then he would’ve been too suspicious of Gage to eat anything. It was bad enough that the pervert sat across from him, leering whenever his mother looked away, but the hypervigilance and the mask were stifling, making him sweat through his shirt.

“It’s good! Thank you, Mom.”

She smiled, pleased with herself, as if she’d done the cooking. “What wedding hall do you work at again, Rainy?”

“The Evergreen Club,” Rain replied smoothly, more than used to lying to her. Gage coughed, giving him a sly look but Rain ignored it.

“Sothat’sthe place holding my son hostage,” she pouted. “I know you’ve stopped by my work but this is still your home, you know. I’m still your mom.”

Holding back his cringe, Rain turned his budding squint into a hopefully-decent grin. “I know but I’ve got two jobs now, one at the wedding hall and another for a photography company. Plus, I met someone. You know how it is.” He pointedly looked at the two of them. “I’ve been staying at his place a lot.”

“You have a boyfriend?” Gage’s beer stopped halfway to his face, his beady eyes full of eerie curiosity.

“Yeah, I met him at the gym. He powerlifts and is about to go pro.” Rain needed it to be a threat and it seemed to work because Gage’s scoff had an edge of unease.

“Aww, that’s my boy!” His mother cheered, throwing her napkin at him. “What’s his name?

“Bryce.” Rain easily caught it, dropping it on the table.

“Bryce,” she pondered, eyes on the ceiling as she tilted her head to the side, the tinsel in her long dark hair glittering, matching the sparkles in her makeup. “Sounds good, Rainy,but-” she pointed a taloned finger at him, “remember to keep your options open.”

“I will.” He nodded as if she’d given sage advice, and the rest of the meal passed without incident. No one mentioned the lack of a bedroom door, Rain’s destroyed belongings, or the fact that he didn’t live there anymore. His mother was too focused on gifts and thankfully, she loved what he’d picked out for her.

The original present had been a bracelet but he’d gone back to the store and bought the necklace and earrings too, as well as a luxurious-looking chocolate cake, and she squealed over everything, happy to have all the attention on her.

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