Page 91 of Three Pucking Words
Mom sighs. “You were always so dramatic for no reason, Honor. Max simply wanted to talk, but you weren’t willing to. I figured I’d help him out. It’s been too long since we’ve seen each other anyway.”
Gawking at the woman who used to tell me I’d regret marrying Max, I slowly shake my head. “Do you hear yourself? Most parents would cut their children’s exes out of their lives as soon as they hear they broke up, not become buddy-buddy with them. So why don’t you tell me what you get out of this, Mom? Because you told me I shouldn’t marry him in the first place, and then you had the nerve to tell me I’d regret ending it.”
Bodhi shifts toward me, squeezing my hand once to remind me he’s here. It’s the comfort I need, because I realize that theonlyreason she’d be here is because Max promised her something. And I know her well enough to figure out that it’s monetary motive that brought her here, not some deep seeded need for mother-daughter bonding.
“How much?” I ask her, wrapping my fingers around Bodhi’s palm to feel grounded. “How much did Max offer you to get my attention?”
She has the audacity to scoff like it’s an offensive question, but we both know it isn’t. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
I turn to Max. “How much was it?” I ask, knowing he’s arrogant enough not to lie to me. He’s always loved flaunting how much money he has, and how easy it is to throw it at his problems.
He’s wearing a watch withdiamondsin it for crying out loud. He spends a stupid amount of money on his wardrobe to be tailored and fitted to his body, and everything has tohave designer labels. I never cared about that stuff, which was another problem he had with me.
I never wanted to be shown off.
I simply wanted to beme. And I wanted someone who would accept me for that.
Max’s grin comes back in full force. “We both know your mother always had a taste for the material things. It didn’t take much to convince her to come talk to you.”
I look around the lobby. It’s too fancy. Too beautiful for the tainted people currently standing in it. “So this is your doing? All it took was some schmoozing over a five-course meal and unlimited room service in a swanky hotel?”
He simply shrugs. “You forgot the champagne, but yes.”
Nice to know my wellbeing was bought out by luxury sheets and expensive booze. “You’re not getting anything from me. And if you truly thought you could utilize my mother to convince me otherwise, you never knew me at all. If you did, you would have realized that she and I aren’t close. That we barely talk. In fact, I remember her telling me in our last big blowout that she wished she never had a kid because it ruined her life.”
Bodhi’s hand twitches around mine at the information I’ve never shared with anyone before. He looks down at me, his eyes fierce. “She said that to you?”
I nod bleakly. “I believe she also mentioned making an appointment with Planned Parenthood. One of her many regrets in life was not going through with it.”
His expression drains, and his eyes slowly—and I meanslowly—drift to my mother with judgement and fury. “Do you have any idea what a blessing it is to be a parent?” he asks her. “It’s the best goddamn feeling in the world, and you’ve thrown it away.”
She shrinks a little. “I didn’t mean it. I love my daughter, obviously.”
I can’t help but laugh cooly at that. “You could have fooled me, Mom. Really. How could I possibly have ever doubted you? Or are we forgetting the very beginning of our conversation when you basically told me I don’t deserve to have a life-saving service animal?”
This time, she looks like she actually feels a little bad. “Honor—”
“No” I cut her off, holding up my freehand. I have so much I want to say, but I know I’d be wasting my breath. She’ll never be receptive to any of the hurt she’s caused or accept her hand in it. What’s the point in telling her how I feel?
“I truly hope that this was all worth it, Mom. You always wanted to be a free woman from any responsibility, and now you have it. I’m done. You can wash your hands of me and focus on whatever it is that will make you happy in life.”
I shift my focus back to the man who I let slide a ring onto my finger. “I’m done withbothof you. I will never help you again. I won’t help get you money or release information or whatever the hell it is you need from me. And you have some fucking nerve to act like you deserve it. Like you can still get whatever you want after everything you put me through. Howweakdo you think I am?”
Max’s composure barely wavers, but I can still see the slight irritation in his eyes. “Our marriage wasn’t that bad, Honor. Come on.”
I roll my eyes. “Of course you didn’t think so. You got everything you wanted, and I was dumb enough to let you. But what about me?”
He shrugs.Shrugs.“What about you?”
I close my eyes, willing myself not to lunge at him. In this moment, I want nothing more than to wrap my hands around his neck and shake him until he’s blue in the face. But he’s not worth it.
Then he says, “In order for me to get my next game going, I need to get the okay from the league to use some of the new rookie’s names and numbers. And your father can—”
You know what? I take it back.
I’m not a violent person. Unless it involves vending machines taking my quarters when I have a headache and desperately need soda to try helping it. But one second Max is talking, and the next my hand is slapping him with as much force as I can muster until his head whips to the side. The noise almost echoes in the lobby, and the chatter from behind the desk slowly fades.
And…oh my God.
