Page 24 of The Loathing

“I suppose it keeps this mundane life a little more exciting, right?”

“Exactly,” she sighs, but it’s not an unhappy sigh, it’s a blissfully happy one. “Your father means well, I know you’re annoyed about having some stranger here watching you but we’re doing it all for the right reasons.”

I hum in agreement.

“Don’t be like that,” and I can hear the hurt in my mother’s tone.

“I’m not being like anything,” I slowly turn to face her, the fine wrinkles round her eyes crease slightly, her ice blue eyes still full of glimmer and hope, I hate the fact that her and father are getting older. “But seems a little extreme… I don’t understand why I need to be looked after in my own home,” I shake my head from side to side.

“Well…” I see my mother’s eyes flit from mine and across the lake and I know from her tone that I’ve been kept in the dark about something.

“Well?” I stammer over my words as my heart thrums in my chest.

“We just want you safe…” her eyes finally meet mine as I hang on every word that leaves her lips.

“I know,” I whisper and for some reason I don’t know why the rage is burning deep in my belly. I came out here to find my calm, but all I seem to be feeling is anger bubbling the longer I am sat here. Tears sting in my eyes but I refuse to cry.

“Titus will be here tomorrow morning, is there anything you would like to do…” I cut my mother off as I slice my eyes across to hers.

“You mean before you take my freedom?” my tone is harsh as I snap at her, and whether I meant to or not, it’s too late. The spitefulness has already spilled out of me.

“Amora…” my mum reaches for my hand but I’m already up and walking away.

“Save it,” I shout, my temper reaching boiling point.

I may look like my mother more than my father, apart from my eyes, but my temper is all Xavier.

My phone vibrates in my back pocket, and I see Arabella’s name. The corner of my mouth lifts, reaching for it I look over my shoulder and see my mother’s eyes pinned to me and I don’t care that my chest aches. I can see the sadness in her eyes but the rage is too much.

“Hey,” my tone is soft when I speak to my best friend.

“You okay?”

“Oh, I don’t know, I’ve been better,” I roll my eyes as I stomp back towards the house.

“It’ll be okay, Daddy Xavi will fix it all.”

“If he didn’t fuck up in the first place, I wouldn’t be in this position… of course golden boys, Xander and Ezekiel get to stay at home because…”

“Because they’re not a threat. You are.”

“So, you’re saying because I am a girl, I’m a threat.”

“It sucks, but…” she sighs, “yeah.”

“Well, I’m not going to play ball, they want to get me a babysitter then I’ll be a brat,”

I hear Arabella laugh. “He is going to wish he never took the job.”

“Too right.”

“I was going to ask you over, but honestly, my mood is awful, and I wouldn’t want to put you through that,” I smirk into the phone and my steps falter as I get to the steps of the back door.

“It’s okay, we will have a night out once this is all over.”

“That sounds amazing, give me something to look forward to.”

“It’s a date,” she chimes, and I smile wide. “Call me tomorrow or something, you can let me know how hot your bodyguard is,” and before I can respond, the phone goes dead.

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