Page 112 of Bad Men

It took all my restraint plus a sidelong glance from Nero to keep my scoff in check. I would have loved to point out that Mia was a grown ass woman who didn’t need to be allowed to do what she wanted. But I mutely accepted the win when Mia beamed the best she could around a busted lip.

“Luis?” Aunt Victoria gapped at the man as if he’d grown another head. “What will the family think?”

“Victoria, now is not the time for this,” Marie snapped. “Quite frankly, I don’t care what anyone says. If they have a problem, they can come to me, if they’re brave enough.”

I never had many run ins with Marie outside community events. Aside from the odd greeting and the few times she asked how I was doing, we’d never had any actual conversations. But in that moment, I loved her.

“Well!” Aunt Victoria leapt to her feet, anger tight knots at the corners of her thin lips. “Liana, we’re leaving.”

The woman at Mia’s feet glanced up at her mother with wide, fearful eyes. “Mama, I—”

“Get up!”

Liana’s dark gaze darted to Mia’s, big and pleading.

“It’s okay,” Mia whispered, giving her cousin’s fingers a gentle squeeze. “We can talk later.”

“Liana will be busy later.”

With that, Victoria snatched Liana by the arm and hauled her up as though she were a disobedient child. I was moving to block them before I could stop myself.

“Let her go.”

Victoria blinked rapidly in stunned silence that didn’t last. “I beg your pardon?”

I ignored her and faced the younger woman. “Say the words and I’ll haul her ass out of here.”

Liana gapped at me, mouth opening in shutting in rapid succession.

“We have plenty of space at the apartment,” Nero piped in, speaking to Liana. “You’re welcome to stay there for as long as you need.”

Victoria bristled. “How dare you!”

“What will it be?” I pressed, ignoring the irate shrew flinging daggers at me with her eyes.

“I … I…” Liana glanced at her mother, then at Mia who had pushed to her feet and stood as if ready to intervene. “I would like to stay with Mia for the night, mama. Please?”

She could have asked to stay at a whorehouse for the way Victoria recoiled away from her. “You would stay in that den of sin?”

“The den of sin is only open to the public on Fridays,” I supplied smoothly. “We’re going to the other den. The less fun one.”

Mia winced and dropped her face into one hand. Marie gave a snort she covered with a cough.

Victoria was not amused. “This house is one of corruption.” She turned to the suspiciously silent Luis. “Father always said you were too soft, Luis. Now, you have ruined my daughter as well as your own.”

“Mama, please—”

But Liana’s pleas were ignored by her mother as the woman charged in the direction of the door.

“Tía Victoria?” Mia called before the woman could lunge out into the dark. “You owe me a new phone.”

The woman’s lips curled back over her teeth, but she said nothing as she threw herself out without a backwards glance. The door was slammed shut behind her. Then it was just the six of us.

“I am so sorry,” Liana whispered shooting desperate glances between Marie and Luis.

“No, niña,” Marie hurried over and pulled the younger woman into her arms. “You are welcome to stay for as long as you like.”

“Our offer stands as well,” Nero added.

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