Page 10 of Throne of Sin

I wave her off.

I don’t know why seeing Demi hit me so hard. She didn’t even want the job. I’ll probably go another ten years or longer before I ever see her again. I laugh at how silly I’m being. Sienna gives me a look like I’ve gone crazy, but walks away silently.

It’s fine.

I’m fine.

Everything is fine.

I walk further into the house and find Savio dancing with his wife, Charlotte, on the dance floor. Everyone’s eyes are on the new couple. I never thought my brother would fall in love, but here he is.

The fool.

Chapter 5

Demi

It’sofficial,I’vehitrock bottom. Digging into my pocket, I have two bills and some change. It’s enough money for a motel room and just enough gas to go see my mother. I shudder, thinking about howthatconversation will go.

My eyes glance up at the strip club’s blinking neon sign: Throne of Sin. My shoulders sag in defeat as the realization hits that there’s only one option left now. I pull at the car door handle three times before it unsticks and opens.

“You okay, Mom?” My nine-year-old daughter, Oakleigh, asks between coughs. I rub her back until the fit has left her. I knew sleeping on the cold floor would spark a flareup in her lung disease and cause pneumonia. Even though the doctors assured me that her bronchopulmonary dysplasia at birth was nothing related to my pregnancy, I still go through and analyze everything I think I could have done better. Luckily she was able to outgrow it but her lungs are still weak. Between her asthma and her chronic pneumonia, it seems like she’s always coughing and on the verge of being sick.

“Everything is great,” I lie. “Have I ever told you about your grandmother?”

Oakleigh’s eyes light up. “No, why?”

“You, my girl, will get to meet her today.” I lean in and give her a kiss on the cheek.

Her hands run through her hair in an effort to tame her long locks. Twisting the key into the ignition is harder than I thought it would be when I know where I’m going, and who I’m hoping to leave my daughter with. I promised myself I would never allow my mother near Oakleigh, but I have no choice.

We pull into the neighborhood I grew up in, the car running on fumes, and lurch onto the cracked driveway of my childhood home. Even with the car stopped, my hands grip the wheel. If I let go, my daughter will see how badly I’m shaking.

My tongue darts out to lick my lips. “Here goes…” I blow out a deep breath. “Come on, Oakleigh.” We both open our doors and stare out at the house that could use a new paint job. We stand there, side by side, for several long seconds before she takes my hand and looks up at me, an eyebrow arched in question.

“Want a candy?” My daughter hands me a small red hard candy. I smile, taking it from her and placing it in my mouth, sucking on the sweet flavor.

There’s a big sign taped to the broken siding informing visitors that the doorbell is broken. I knock three times as loud as my hand can pound.

“Go away!” a grumpy voice yells from inside. “I’m not interested in buying anything.”

We both look at each other. We could sleep in the car for a few nights…

Oakleigh begins to cough over and over, unable to catch her breath. She brings out her inhaler and takes a deep breath of the last of her medicine, but it doesn’t even sound like anything came out. I bang my hand on the door for a second time.

My mother opens the door with a scowl on her face. Seeing me her eyes soften and shock radiates through her for a moment before she composes herself and her face turns back into a scowl. She quickly covers it by asking, “What do you want?”

Oakleigh takes a step behind me and I hate my mother for not being the loving sort. I glance into the house and see my old cat, Stitches, try to slink her way outside. She still looks like a stray with parts of her coat missing.

My old cat walks outside and her tail curls around my leg. “Oakleigh, take Stitches out in the yard and play with her for a second.” She does so with no questions or fuss, always well-behaved.

When she’s out of earshot, I turn to my mother. “That is your granddaughter, not that you care.”

Her lips twist, her only clear emotion being annoyance that I’m disturbing her day.

“Jameson came by a week ago looking for you. I told him this would be the last place you would ever come. But look at you here now.”

I ignore her comment and get to the point. “I have to go away for a short while and I need you to watch Oakleigh for me.” Both my mother’s brows rise into her hairline.I can’t even believe I’m doing this.

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