Page 30 of Let Me Love You
“You’re sorry? That’s rich.” The outrage felt like a sucker punch to the stomach. “How dare you?”
Even though she saw Shannon’s hand coming, she could not respond fast enough. The blow landed on her cheek with a loud slap. She inhaled sharply, her own hand coming to rest on her heated and stinging skin. Tears pricked behind her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She’d been in the wrong. This thing with Ren should have never gone so far.
“Mother!” Ren yanked Shannon’s arm, stepped between her and Stacey, and seized his mother’s shoulders.
Shannon winced, having had shoulder surgery several weeks ago.
He walked her backward, creating space between her and Stacey. His breaths heaved, and his ribs expanded rapidly.
“Get out of the way, Ren.” Shannon struggled in his grasp.
“Stop fighting me, Mom. You’ll reinjure your shoulder and I won’t let you hit her again.” Irritation dripped from his voice, which surprised her. She’d never heard him so much as raise his voice at Shannon. Despite some of their struggles and his frustration at feeling smothered, he’d always spoken to her gently. His tone was less than gentle now.
“Oh.” Shannon puffed out a cackle. “You won’t let me. You’re her protector now?”
“You want to hit someone, hit me.” His hunched shoulders dropped. “I came on to her. I pursued her. She’s tried to push me away, but I won’t let her.”
“She’s eight years older than you, Ren Michael Haynes.Sheknows better.” Shannon’s hands fisted. “Get your ass home right now. This is between Stacey and me.”
Ren blanched. “I love her, Mom.”
Stacey’s eyes widened. He’d claimed to have feelings for her, but love? She didn’t know what to think, especially with the revelation coming out at this moment.
Shannon laughed. Not a happy, congratulations-you’re-in-love laugh. More like a witch-stirring-her-cauldron laugh. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.
“I bet you do. It’s called sex. It will make you do and say stupid things all the time.” Shannon peered around Ren’s shoulder. Her words stung, as if Stacey was unlovable. “I know things were rough for you with the divorce and the way Randy betrayed you. I tried to be a friend to you.” Anger still pervaded her words, but a hint of hurt entered as well.
“I know you did.” Disappointment and sadness surged through Stacey at the betrayal. That she allowed herself to be swayed by her need to feel desired again so much so that she succumbed to being seduced by her neighbor’s son, ruining the friendship she’d formed over the years. And Ren,oh, God, what had she done? How had she thought, if even for a brief time, having sex with him was okay?
“Are you that desperate to get back at Randy that you had to go after my son?”
Those words hurt worse than the slap across the face or the comment that Ren’s love proclamation was just a product of lust. Ren had nothing to do with Randy. She’d never use him to get back at her ex. This wasn’t some well-thought out scheme she’d been masterminding for months. It hadn’t been a thought at all. Until a few days ago, she’d never have even imagined this could happen.
“Stop, Mother! This is between you and me.” Ren shook his head. “I meant to talk to you about this yesterday, but I lost the nerve. I chickened out. You were upset with me for wanting space and I was afraid to bring my feelings for Stacey up. I didn’t want to make you more upset. I regret that.”
She ignored him, still focused on Stacey. “So, that’s why you raced down to your sister’s after Ren visited you. Feeling guilty about seducing my son, you couldn’t wait to get out of town and hide your face? And here I was worried that Randy did something to upset you.”
Ren hauled Shannon toward the door just as Jay came running up the porch steps and breached the doorway.
Stacey’s cheeks flushed. Could this get any worse? Any more embarrassing? She didn’t think so.
“Dad.” Ren sounded relieved.
“What’s going on here?” Jay glanced from Ren to Shannon, then winced when he got to Stacey.
“She’s fucking our son,” Shannon said with disgust, her good arm flailing in anger.
“Jesus Christ.” Ren handed her over to his father, who wrapped her gently in his embrace. “I could understand this reaction if I were sixteen, but I’m twenty-fucking-three.”
“Watch your mouth. I don’t care if you’re thirty. She’s our neighbor who used to come watch you play high school football. She knows better.” Shannon’s voice cracked.
“Shannon, let’s get home.” Jay pulled her with him as he eased toward the front door.
“I’m not leaving him withher.” Shannon struggled against her husband. Tears spilled down her cheeks, her distress palpable.
Guilt gnawed at Stacey. She’d caused this trouble. Shannon was right about one thing, she should have known better.
“There’s nothing wrong with her,” Jay said softly. He looked up from his wife and found Stacey’s gaze. “They’re both adults.” Jay smiled softly in Stacey’s direction, but all she could do was stare with an open mouth. Jay knew. Ren must have told his father.
