Page 96 of 1 Last Shot

It doesn’t look like Kane is eventryingto hide the happiness on his face.

Just then, the doorbell rings. And I watch as Kane's playful, uninhibited smile turns immediately into a frown.

"Are you expecting someone?" I ask hesitantly.

"Besides you, I don't talk to anyone," he answers absentmindedly, his gaze never leaving the front door. Then he's striding across the room and pressing his face to the peephole.

I have an idea who it is as soon as I see his jaw clench and his expression turn shuttered.

"You don't have to answer," I tell him quietly. Hopefully. Desperately.

But I know he's lost to his childhood memories when he reaches for the doorknob.

The door opens to reveal a woman who I could've guessed was Kane's mom even without watching his reactions. It doesn't matter that they look like opposites in almost every way—where he looks healthy, and strong, and as of a minute ago, happy, she looks tired, and gaunt, and mean. No, those things don't matter because I realize instantly that they have the same eyes. Not just the physical color, or shape, but the same gaze. The kind of gaze that tells you they're a little bit skeptical and a whole lot defensive.

But it's not the scared eyes that make me wary of Kane's mom. It's the slimy smile that slides across her face when she sees her son.

"Kane, baby. Long time no see. How are you?"

"How did you find me?" Kane asks through gritted teeth. I hear Oscar let out a whine in the background.

Kane's mom waves him off. "I told you before, you're not exactly hard to figure out. Finding you was easy." She must see our blank stares because she rolls her eyes and adds, “I knew the gym name from the fight poster, and when I showed up there to convince your coach to ‘help reunite his fighter with his poor mom who’s been searching for him for years,’ I happened to see you walking home. Easiest it's ever been to find you, kid.” Then her attention slides past Kane to me. The smile on her face grows. "Imagine my surprise when I won two for the price of one. My missing sonandhis rich girlfriend."

I see every muscle in Kane's back tighten when her focus zeroes in on me. I can only see his profile from here, so I can't read his expression completely, but it's not hard to guess that it's making him increasingly upset.

"Don't worry, she's not the one I'm here to see," his mom says. Her attention turns back to Kane, an over-plucked eyebrow rising as she asks, "Aren't you going to invite me in? I've been on the road for hours, the least you could do is offer me something to drink."

I fully expect Kane to refuse and shut the door in her face, but when a few seconds pass and he still hasn't said anything, I turn toward him in surprise.

"Kane…"

He stands there, frozen. Not turning her away, not letting her in.

She takes the decision out of his hands when she shoulders past him and steps into the tiny living room. Her expression is inquisitive as she looks around the apartment, the quick sweep taking in every piece of furniture, every sign of possible wealth or well-being. She doesn't even pause on Oscar.

"To be honest, I expected a little more than this," she says. "This area is pretty nice, or at least nicer than you used to pick, so I thought you'd at least give enough of a shit to make theinsidelook nice, too."

"Does that translate to you're bummed I don't have more for you to steal?" Kane asks tightly.

Thatseems to surprise her. She turns back to him, her expression looking both surprised and impressed.

At him pushing back at her? Has he really never done that before?

The pit in my stomach, that feeling of foreboding, grows even more.

"Well, well, well, look who grew a backbone in the last three years," she says with a hum. "Is that your doing or hers?"

Kane doesn't respond, he just clenches his teeth so hard I'm surprised I don't hear them crack.

"What do youwant, Mom?"

She sighs in disappointment. "I told you: I need money. Your piece of shit stepdad—who you never cared about enough to meet, by the way—left me without a home or a penny to my name. And if you hadn't left me all those years ago, I wouldn't have been evicted from our apartment, and I would've had a place to go back to. So, the state of your penniless mother isyourfault. And I expect you to help me out now, especially after everything I’ve done for you."

Rage starts to boil in my veins. I've met a lot of entitled, shitty parents in my life, but I haveneverseen anyone as delusional as this woman.

And yet, I can't bring myself to say anything. Not just because I'm too nervous to stand up to a woman like this, but also because I'm entirely expecting Kane to step in at any moment. There's no way he won't set her straight and kick her out.

She seems to notice my judgment, because she turns her attention to me and says, "Oh please, let’s not pretend you know anything about responsibility. Your parents have probably done everything for you, I doubt you've ever even had to lift a finger. What wouldyouknow about hardships?"

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