Page 46 of Pretty Evil

“I just worry about you all. It’s hard being here, not knowing if the next phone call will break my heart. I thought when I left, I would walk away from the pain. If only it has intensified.”

“How?” I lean forward as she smiles bravely. “I am so far away and if anything happened, I wouldn’t be there which breaks my heart.”

“It was a choice you made.” Shade interrupts coldly and my mother winces at his words.

“You’re right, Shade. I did choose to walk away, and circumstances made this the place I ran to.”

“Stoner, you mean.” Shade doesn’t mince his words and mom sighs.

“You can’t help who you fall in love with. I was in a vulnerable state of mind and Joe helped me through. It was inevitable we would fall in love.”

“Why?” He shakes his head. “Kyle helps me out of many impossible situations, but it doesn’t mean I love him.”

I can’t help laughing because Kyle is Shade’s consigliere, and they are more like brothers than associates.

Mom smiles. “You know what I mean. Joe helped pick up the pieces when your father, well, cheated on me and it meant a lot.”

“From what I remember, dad cheated on you your entire married life. Why was one more so different?”

I understand why my brother is being deliberately cruel because anger can bring revelation and mom is no different as she snaps, “We all know Benito cheated on me, Shade. Perhaps the last one was the final nail in our marriage. There is only so much a woman can stand and it became an impossible situation.”

“What happened?” I say softly, my good cop to Shade’s bad one, and she says with a pained expression, “I found them in our bed. They were asleep at the time, but it was obvious what went on. She was one of the maids. It wasn’t the first time he slept with the staff, but it was the first time in our bed. It was disrespectful and belittled me and I had enough.”

“So how did Stoner come into it?” Shade says in a softer voice that obviously works because mom relaxes a little.

“I had nowhere to go, and your Aunt Giselle was a good friend to me and offered me her penthouse in the city. Joseph had an apartment in the same building, and we met in the elevator a few times. I knew of him through parties at the house. He was a business associate of your father’s and a good friend with Giselle and Carlos.”

She smiles. “We got talking, and he invited me out for dinner. He was a good listener and made me laugh. It was…” She smiles wistfully. “The first time I felt like a normal woman.”

I can so relate to that, and my heart reaches out to her. I understand what that’s like. The yearning for normality in a crazy fucked-up world and I’m not surprised she fell for Stoner if he gave her the opportunity.

“Talking of Joe.” She smiles as the door slams and the man himself heads into the room and shouts, “What the fuck is going on? I couldn’t even get through my own gate; some guy stopped me and ...”When he notices Shade watching him, he falters momentarily but quickly recovers and smiles.

“Shade, Serena. I might have known. I only expected Serena. Now we have double the pleasure.”

He moves across to mom and kisses her cheek and then offers his hand to Shade, who shakes it politely, keeping it short and sweet.

He moves across to me and kisses me on both cheeks, and I detect the scent of alcohol on his breath.

He shakes his head with concern. “I don’t know where we’ll put all those men?”

Shade adds, “We only need three extra rooms. The rest will wait on the aircraft.”

“So, you’re not saying long, then?” I sense the relief in his voice and Shade shrugs. “Long enough to put some business your way, then I’m leaving. Duty calls.”

“And you, Serena?” Stoner fixes me with an enquiring stare, and I smile. “Three weeks was the plan. I hope that still stands.”

“Of course it does.” Mom interrupts and smiles warmly.

“Anyway, you must be exhausted. I’ll show you to your rooms. We can catch up over dinner.”

We leave Stoner and follow her out and as we close the door, she whispers, “He is preoccupied at the moment. There’s an important meeting he’s been preparing for with a Russian family. Once it’s over, he’ll be more relaxed.”

My heart flutters at the mention of Alexei and I maintain my cool and say evenly, “When is the meeting?”

“In three days’ time, I believe.” She shakes her head. “It was meant to be tomorrow, but there was an unfortunate emergency that put it back. Apparently, a lot is riding on the success of this meeting. We stand to make a great deal of money if they sign the contract.”

I say nothing but my heart is racing because in a few days’ time Alexei will be here, and for some reason everything looks a lot better than it did five minutes ago.

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