Page 85 of Craving You
“Worst-case scenario, she thinks we are crazy,” I shrug.
“Baby, we are crazy,” he laughs before kissing me again.“Next time, just talk to us.Okay?”
“Okay.I’m sorry I was a bitch.I was spiraling,” I say.
“Yeah, I figured.Your night terrors were intense,” he says.“Let’s go back up.I have an idea on how to corner her.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Lorelei
“Areyouabsolutelysureabout this?”I ask Cameron.“What if we are wrong?”
“We blame it on trauma,” he shrugs.“Wanted to know.Now we know.”
“And if we are right?”
“Andrea and Ross are listening and recording.They’ll catch it all,” he says.
“Okay,” I sigh.
We are in the office on the first floor.No one else is here, but we asked Mom to come over and discuss Dad and his funeral arrangements.We aren’t claiming his body, but that’s not important.She is going to walk in on Cameron and me kissing and go from there.
Ross got her DNA from a cup she used at the police station and it came back as a familial match to Dad as a cousin and our mother.We would only know this if we know that she is also living under a fake name.She will only mention it if she is giving herself up.Also, she knows that we are alone, so if she wants to kill me, now’s the chance.
I am leaning back against the desk and Cameron is standing in front of me with his hands on the desk.He is close and I smile up at him.“She’s in the house,” he says before gently kissing me.I bring my hands to his face and we get swept away in our kiss.We hear her footsteps, but pretend we don’t.When the door opens, silence.It takes us a few seconds before we pull apart.Cameron immediately pulls me behind him and I catch a glimpse of Mom holding a gun.
“Mom,” Cam says carefully.“Put the gun down.”
“You know, guys.I should have known you two would end up together,” she says as she walks into the room.“I let Theodore talk me into waiting to sell my skanky daughter, and look where we are now?Brother and sister…”
“Mom,” I say.“You are scaring me.”
“You are scaring me,” she mocks.“Shut the fuck up.You sound like your fucking father.”
“Mom.What do you want?”Cameron asks calmly.
“Your sister,” she says.“Give her to me and I won’t blow your brains out.”
“Then pull the trigger,” Cameron says simply.He lifts the back of his shirt enough that I can see he has a gun in the waistband of his jeans.“I am not giving her to you, so aim well.”
“Aww.How sweet of you to protect your little sister.Is she really worth dying for, though?”She asks.I hear her pull the hammer back and I take a deep breath before pulling the gun from its holster.I quietly and carefully check to make sure a round is chambered before getting a grip on it.The thing is, they can only hear us.We need her to admit to something because they can’t see that she has the gun.
“Yes.You wouldn’t have done that for Dad?”Cameron asks.“She is my family.You don’t hurt family.”
“Your father was a weak son of a bitch with a big ego and a short temper.He never should have killed Tris.I told that dumbass to get Lori on his own, but no.He wanted to have others do it for him.He realized he was cornered and what did he do?He went and got himself killed.The dumb fucker stranded me out there, even though we were safe.No one would have suspected shit,” she says.“Now, I have you two idiots thinking you can trick me so the cops can come in and arrest me.Well, newsflash.I’m not going to jail.So, kiss your sister goodbye, because we are all dying here today.Our family line will end and everything I’ve worked for will disappear… all because your dumbass father justhadto go and stick his dick in Beatris and leave his DNA behind.”
“Momma,” I say with a meek voice as I peek out from behind Cameron.
“What, Lorelei?”Mom snaps.
“Please, put the gun down,” I ask, keeping my voice small.
“Oh, fuck you, Lor…” The second she raises the gun to shoot me, I pull the pistol out from behind Cameron and fire.The blast makes my ears ring and I am stunned.
One minute I am shooting my mother, and the next I am outside surrounded by people.There are voices and noises everywhere.Warm hands on my face center me, and I look up at Cameron.“I… She…” I choke out.
“She’s gone, Lori.It’s all over,” he says as he hugs me.Remington sits beside me and wraps his arms around my body, only for Clay to join in and I am surrounded by them.
