Page 121 of Flaunt
Tears pool in my eyes, and I give her another squeeze. “I love you too, Bethany.”
“Now, Bethany,” Sabrina barks.
She pulls away from me, slings her backpack on her shoulder, and lifts her chin in defiance.That’s my girl. Don’t let her break you.
Sabrina follows her toward the car, saying something too quietly for me to pick up.
I descend the steps and step into the sun. Out of my peripheral vision, I spot Jess still standing in the spot we left him.
Great.
Bethany climbs in the car and slams the door. Sabrina whips around and storms back to the house with her finger pointed at my face.
My stomach tenses as I prepare for an onslaught.
“How dare you talk to my daughter about anything!” she says, almost spitting the words as she stops feet in front of me. Her finger shakes with anger, and her words get louder. “You don’t have a clue what you’re doing. Hell, Sara, you’re a child of the streets.”
What? I grin at her, trying to stay calm. Bethany doesn’t need to see a screaming match between us. “And whose fault is that?”
“Certainly not mine, if that’s what you’re getting at.” She drops her finger. “Your father had given up on you well before he met me.”
“I was ten years old. So you know …”
We stand toe-to-toe, eye to eye. I want to run inside and away from this mess, but I can’t back down to her. I won’t. I’ve done it too many times.
Foxx’s truck inches down the street. He rolls the window down. He doesn’t have to say a word; I can read his question on his face.Are you okay?
A well of emotions rises in my chest as I wave at him. He gives me a nod, dragging his gaze across the front porch, and then pulls up his driveway at the end of the lane.
“You really still are the same ten-year-old little girl who I met back then,” she says, narrowing her eyes. “You’re twenty-five, Sara. You’re living with a man who I didn’t know you were even seeing until last week. You’re unemployed. Your belongings are in my garage.”
“I’ll get them.”
“Doesn’t this embarrass you?” she asks, the words growing louder. “Do you have any sense of humility at all? Do these poor people understand who they’re dealing with here?”
The door squeaks behind me. Banks. Tears fill my eyes, threatening to spill down my cheeks. Despite my practiced ability to hold my emotions, this time it’s a struggle.
I don’t want my little sister going home with this woman. I also don’t want to fight with Sabrina. Worst of all, I don’t want Banks witnessing this dysfunction, and Foxx and Jess watching as I bring all of this drama to their brother’s doorstep. Literally.
“You are tainting my child,” she sneers. “I shouldn’t have let you around. I’ve been entirely too nice to you.”
“And I’ve been entirely too nice to you by letting you stand out here for this long,” Banks says, putting his arm around my shoulders. “Youneed to leave.Now.”
His eyes blaze with a fire I’ve never seen in them before. I didn’t even see this the night in the bar that ended with his arrest.
My heart aches for my sister, for me, for Sabrina—and for Banks for having to deal with this.
“Oh, you have someone fighting your battles for you, huh?” Sabrina says smugly.
“Sara can take care of herself,” Banks says. “I’m pretty sure you taught her the necessity for that.”
“You don’t know shit.”
Banks grins. “I know that you aren’t going to roll up to my house and disrespect her. I know you better not take that little girl home and treat her like this.”
“She’s my child. You stay the hell out of that conversation.”
“Just some friendly advice.”
