Page 65 of Love, Untangled

Mom laughed. “Oh will you get over yourself? Of course this is my business. She’s my daughter, you fool.”

“No way. How come I didn’t know that?” Leon pouted.

“Because you didn’t need to.”

“I’m your uncle. I took you in when you were a teen—”

“You’re an idiot. Two screws loose from a full set.” Mom sneered at the older man.

He blinked back at her, his rheumy eyes filled with hurt. “You always were sniffing around this place. And Garland’s boy.”

Mom snickered. “I did more than sniff. I seduced Rodney, got him to fall in love with me. But that’s not relevant right now.”

“You killed Rodney,” Leon growled. “Who else did you hurt?”

“Don’t you worry your fool head about what I’ve done. The only thing you need to know is that you’re both going to disappear.”

Leon frowned. “Why would I do that?”

“Because I want you both gone.”

“What she done to you?” Leon asked, shock reverberating through his words. “What did I ever do to you? I loved you, Serena, the best I could.”

“Well it wasn’t enough. And she’s like you. She’s done nothing and everything. But most importantly, she’s blocking me from my future, thanks to that ridiculous forgery charge the bank manager filed.”

Pen’s eyes flared wide. Marvin. He’d said there were irregularities in the signatures. Dear, sweet, meticulous Marvin continued to dig into the money missing from Garland’s—now Pen’s—account, with her wholehearted approval.

Pen should have realized that her mother wanted that money. She’d seen enough of her grandmother’s bank statements to see the regular monthly payments. Those must have gone to Pen’s mother. With Nana gone, her mother decided to make a play for all her money, not the monthly stipend.

Her mother never once mentioned an uncle. Pen had always thought all of her mother’s family was dead.

“Why don’t you just move along?” Mom said. “I need to finish this off.”

“I’m not going to let you hurt this girl. I knew you were up to something when I heard you talking about this place.”

“Is that why you came here?” Mom asked. “To warn her? Well, thanks for that. I’ll take care of both of you.”

Leon grabbed Penelope and tucked her behind him. “Head toward the barn. Lock yourself inside,” he muttered.

Pen cringed behind the man she’d thought wanted to hurt her; he was now her best chance at safety. Her mother still held the gun, pointing it toward Pen. Pen stumbled over a rock and fell toward him just as Leon stepped back, arms up. He now had a gun in his hand.

Did everyone own a gun but Pen?

Pen flailed as she fell, screaming as terror overtook her body.

Pen’s cheek cracked against his elbow, her entire face blooming in agony as she slid toward the porch floorboards and a deep, quiet blackness.

Chapter 33

Carlo

The next morning, Carlo felt even worse about his actions toward Pen. He hadn’t slept much, and not even a long, hot shower soothed his ragged emotions.

“She deserves a man who shows her every day how much he loves her,” he muttered to himself as he dressed. “You know you do but you don’t want to say it—as if the words coming out of your mouth are what make it real. You love Penelope. You want a life with her. You’re just scared spitless that she might be taken from you like Cora was. That’s not going to happen.”

The cool air wrapped around him, an embrace that left him shivering. Within an hour, the sun would rise above the trees, and the heat would bake the leaves and fruit.

He needed the time. He realized now how much he appreciated Pen coming over to check on him, but he’d needed to process what had happened last night. His eyes ached from the smoke but also from lack of sleep.

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