Page 78 of Revelation (Love Isn't What It Seems 3)

“I know,” I grinned at her. She playfully smacked me. “Don’t worry. I’ll teach you how to cook.”

As I finished up making our dinner, I glanced at Layla who was lost in her thoughts.

“Tell me what’s on your mind, love.”

She raised her eyes, all her vulnerability on full display, and it fucking hurt my chest. I wanted to cradle her in my arms and hold her till it was all over.

“I don’t know what’s on my mind,” she admitted. “My thoughts are all jumbled together. My mom and her greediness. My grandparents and how they made me feel worthless.” I ground my teeth. I would make them pay. I kept quiet though, I wanted to hear what she had to say. “I am mad, of course. At my mom and my grandparents. But they were never there for me, so it doesn’t feel like I lost much. You can’t lose something you never had, you know. I just never realized they despised me so much.”

“They don’t deserve you, love.” I would repeat those words a lot.

She took a deep breath of resignation. “Maybe. I don’t know. But I know I’m scared to lose my sister and Brandon.”

I stopped what I was doing and took two steps to be right in front of her. “You won’t lose them. Livy is worried sick about you, and she loves you. Trust me when I say that.”

“But-”

“No buts. If anything, she will probably thank you for keeping those bastard grandparents away from her.”

There was a tentative nod, and I knew it would take a lot of convincing. But I was up to the task.

“Let’s eat, beautiful,” I told her instead. “I intend to make you beg me for my cock afterwards, and I can’t wait to hear those words.”

Her cheeks flushed, a small smile on her full lips and her eyes hazed with desire. It was all I cared to see right now. I wouldn’t let those selfish bastards upset her anymore.

“You like that, huh?” I put both my hands on her waist and pulled her off the counter. “Now go set the table.” I lightly smacked her on her ass and a little squeal escaped her as she hurried out of my reach.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Layla

To say today was unexpected and shocking was putting it mildly. Maxim and I finished dinner and cleaned up everything together. As he poured me a glass of wine, while he savored his scotch, his eyes were hungry on me.

I meant what I told him about my grandparents and my mother. It was confirmation that none of them ever cared about me. I guess I thought maybe I meant more to my mother than my grandparents, but apparently, I was wrong. It still hurt. A sliver of insecurity and unworthiness inched its way back into my heart.

What if Maxim decides I am guilty and wants nothing to do with me?

I frowned at the pain that stabbed my chest at that notion.

“What are you thinking?” Our eyes met, questions in those eyes that captured me that night at Revelation. I should have known it was him. Maybe a small part of me knew, but feigning ignorance was easier to handle.

“What if I am truly guilty?” The words spilled through my lips in a terrified whisper.

“First, I don’t believe it. Second, you were a kid. Your mother should have been a responsible adult and never let you drive, especially if you were under the influence.” He took a deep breath. “Layla, you remember being with Brian and your mother picking you up. If you remember that, you would remember drinking or using a substance. You wouldn’t have done it in the car with your mother there.”

His explanation made sense, but after so many years of believing I was guilty… it was hard to become the victim and believe it.

My own mother blackmailed me for over a decade.What kind of mother does that?

A gold digger. I guess she finally made a mistake with my father that played into her favor. By blackmailing his daughter. I had no illusions about my mother. It was always clear that she only got together with him in hopes of scoring someone rich. But even my realistic picture of my mother wasn’t this brutal.

Okay, maybe it hurt a lot. It wouldn’t break me or tear me apart but it fucked with my brain.

“I am supposed to drop off the money tomorrow,” I told Maxim.

He nodded. “What time?” He downed the whole glass of scotch.

“Two in the afternoon.”

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