Chapter 26
Mal
I don’t think I slept the whole night. I couldn’t take my eyes off of Saylor. Like I was afraid she’d just up and disappear on me because this whole day felt like a crazy fever dream or something.
I never knew it was possible to feel so strongly so quickly for someone, but here we were. That feeling I’d had of absolute panic when I didn’t know if she was alive still made me nauseous. I’d happily live the rest of my life if I never had to go through that again.
Goddamn, she was so fucking beautiful.
After having a gun to her head, she still looked like an angel. My angel.
My baby girl.
I was a lucky fucker, and I wasn’t going to forget it—ever.
“How long have you been staring at me, weirdo?” Saylor asked in a groggy voice.
My eyes darted from her tits to her sleepy sky-blue eyes, and I grinned back at her, totally unabashed. “Don’t really remember even falling asleep. So all night?”
“Creep,” she muttered before giggling softly.
“When it comes to you, baby girl, always.” I pressed a kiss against the tip of her nose. “How would you feel about embedding a little tracking device? Microscopic, really.”
She whipped the pillow out from behind her head and smacked me square in the face with it.
“Is that a maybe?” The pillow muffled my voice, but I thought I still got my serious point across.
“Ugh.” She groaned as she rolled out of the bed, clutching her lower abs. “I’ve got cramps. Shoot, I don’t think I have any supplies here. I was going to grab some yesterday, but then… Could you run out and get me some tampons? Or better yet, ask Paige if she packed any?”
“Sure I’ll just call—” I bit my tongue because no, I wouldn’t be calling my assistant now or anytime ever again. Shit. “I’ll figure it out.”
Maybe I should ask Leif’s assistant, Zanna, for help?
I headed for where I’d left my phone charging while Saylor darted into the bathroom.
“Oh!” she shouted through the closed bathroom door. “Grab my purse, please? I have a few in there to hold me for now.”
Clutching my phone in my hand, I turned and headed for the living room where I believe I saw her bag last. But before I could get there my phone buzzed in my hand.
Security Calling
Dread pooled in my stomach, but so much less than what I felt yesterday. Still, I pressed my free hand against my stomach when I answered.
“Yeah?”
“Hey, Mister Holt. Sorry to bother you,” the security company Danny had arranged last night for us answered.
“But we have an Erin Baker here. She says she’s Mrs. Holt’s mother.
Her ID matches and she appears legit. Do you want me to escort her in?
” The ‘or send her away’ was clearly implied and underlined when Erin hollered.
“I’m her mother, for crying out loud! What is all this drama for? Let me see my daughter!”
I sighed heavily. She sounded like a peach.
But it wasn’t my call to make.
“Hold on, let me ask the missus.”
I grabbed her bag off the ottoman where we’d dropped it last night then headed back to our bedroom. After knocking lightly, I called through the door, “Hey baby, I got your bag, and apparently your mom is at the gate. Do you want to see her?”
I heard her groan through the door before she opened it and stood in the doorway, still adorably rumpled from sleep.
She took her purse with a half-smile and a murmur of “thanks,” then rubbed her eyes with her free hand. After a heavy sigh, she muttered, “Sure. Send her up.”
Her reply was the definition of underwhelming.
“Hey, you don’t have to see her if you don’t want to. You control what happens now.”
She lifted a shoulder. “She drove or flew all the way here, though.”
“Who gives a shit? She’s been pressuring you for weeks to get back with that punk ass bitch. And now she swans in all concerned for your wellbeing? Where was she when his bookie clocked you in that parking garage? Fuck that. Fuck her. Fuck. Her.”
“Whoa-kay.” Saylor dropped her purse and pressed a hand against my chest. “I get that you’re feeling a certain type of way about my mom, and believe me I am too, but somehow I think all this—” she gestured at my clenched jaw and fists.
“Isn’t about my mom. What did they call it in my psychology class? Misplaced—no, displaced anger.”
“Who the fuck cares? She screwed you over, and I don’t want her in my fucking house.”
She sighed. “I guess I can meet her at a restaurant or something then.”
“Seriously? You’re not going anywhere, except to the police station to give your statement this afternoon. And even then, we’re taking at least two security guards with us.”
She gave me this look like I was the crazy one. “Right. So where do you want me to meet my mom then? If she can’t come in here, and I can’t go out there…?”
“Fuck.” I huffed in annoyance. “Fine.” I lifted my cell and tapped the speaker button. “Send her in, but have someone standing by to eject her when shit hits the fan. Because it will.”
I rolled my eyes at Saylor, but she just laughed.
“I love how you think ahead. Thank you, Daddy.” She went up on her toes and pressed a sweet kiss against my cheek. “I love how you’re always looking out for me.”
Well, not always.
She shook her head. Apparently I didn’t even need to say it out loud to get that across. “Do not take that on. We can’t go back. Only forward. So take a note from Miss Swift and shake it off.”
The doorbell rang.
Saylor stooped to grab her purse and moved to close the bathroom door. “Give me a few and please, please, please don’t kill my mom in the next three minutes.”
“No promises,” I muttered as I turned away.
“I heard that!” Saylor shouted through the door.
I grinned at her sassiness the whole way down the hallway.
“What is going on?” Paige asked, popping her wild head of hair out her bedroom door.
“Saylor’s mom has arrived.” My tone implied that the devil was on our doorstep.
“Shit.” Paige’s eyes widened and she moved to close the door.
“Wait! Do you have any tampons?”
“What the—” she opened her door again and gave me a look like I was insane.
“Saylor is in need. I also need to organize a delivery of supplies for her. Do you know what kind to buy?”
She nodded. “Yeah, sure. I can take care of that.”
“No, just text me the details. I want to do it.”
“Aww. That’s so sweet.” Paige darted back into her room.
I continued down the hall. A beat later, I heard her door open again, then she scampered down the hall away from me to my bedroom and Saylor.
I tapped at the security panel next to the door as the doorbell rang a third time. I ripped the door open before the panel turned green and a screeching alarm joined Saylor’s mom’s bitching.
“Finally!” She scoffed, pushing past me. “Saylor!” her mom shouted.
I exchanged unimpressed looks with the security guard, who stepped inside and closed the door behind him. He went to tap at the security panel, and I grabbed Saylor’s mom as she tried to run past me to the bedrooms.
“Whoa. She’s not ready to see you just yet. We’re going to wait for her in the living room.”
“Oh, I don’t know who you think you are, but nobody is going to get between me and my daughter.”
I kept my grip on her arm and turned to the security guard. “What’s your name?”
The enormous man shifted his weight as he crossed his massive arms across his equally large chest. “Lucas, sir.”
“Nice to meet you, Lucas.” I looked down at Saylor’s mom.
“I think me and Lucas have a difference of opinion about how you think this is going to go down. You are here at Saylor’s invitation.
If it were up to me, I’d a left you on the curb outside with the paparazzi trash.
So you’ll sit in the living room and wait for your daughter to put herself together.
And maybe you and me will have a little chat, just the two of us while we wait. ”
Her lip lifted in a snarl, and she glared at me before stomping across the room to collapse onto the sofa with a huff.
“Charming,” I muttered to Lucas.
“Oh you have no idea, sir,” Lucas murmured sardonically back.
I choked back my laughter and made a mental note to get him on regular rotation around here. He was clearly good people.
I followed behind at a slower pace and took a seat on the oversized chair opposite her. “So let’s talk.”
“I have nothing to say to you. I’m here to see my daughter.”
“Fine, then I’ll talk.” I sat forward and stared her down.
“When Saylor comes out here, there will be no victim blaming. What happened yesterday is not on Saylor. I don’t want to hear any ‘poor Trent’ bullshit from you.
And the second Saylor gets distressed, you’re out of here.
I’ll give Lucas over there the nod, and he’ll drag you out by your hair if need be. ”
“You’re disgusting. You can’t treat me this way. I’m her mother.”
“I don’t give a shit if you’re an amputee or a cancer survivor or her twin fucking sister. If you hurt Saylor, you’re gone. End of discussion.”
She huffed again as she turned away from me, hugging her arms.
But she also didn’t protest again.
* * *
Saylor
A tap came again at the bathroom door, and I laughed at Mal’s ridiculousness.
“Come in!” I yelled around the toothbrush in my mouth.
But it was Paige who ducked inside and not my husband. “Hey, I heard you needed some supplies.” She passed a few tampons and some pads across the countertop. “That’s all I have with me since it’s not my time of the month.”
“Thanks,” I mumbled before spitting and rinsing my mouth.
“I heard the Wicked Witch is here. Did she come alone or is her monkey enroute?”
I sighed. “You sound like Mal. More creative, but he hasn’t met her yet.”
“Your husband is awesome, by the way. Like I haven’t already told you that. He won’t let me order your tampons—he wants to do it himself. So sweet!”
I grinned even as I hustled around her to grab some clean clothes from the closet.
To be fair, I kinda led him in that direction.
I’d learned a very important lesson yesterday at the hospital: give him a task to make him feel in control.
I just hadn’t expected Mal to run with it.
Although he wasn’t the type to get twitchy about anything body related, so I should’ve known better.
“Do you want backup out there, or do you want to me to stay clear?” Paige asked from the doorway as she watched me get dressed.
“I think Mal and I can handle it.”
“Don’t forget the security guy.”
“What?” I paused with my head still buried in my shirt. “Who?”
“I’m pretty sure your husband has a security guard standing by the door like a bouncer at a club. Do you think Erin will actually bounce when he throws her out?”
I groaned. I had to get out there ASAP.
I quickly pulled my shirt on and grabbed a random pair of shorts. “Only come out if you hear screams. Or better yet, once the front door closes. Whichever happens first.”
“Gotcha. And don’t let her walk all over you, please.”
I buttoned the fly and gave her a sardonic look. “I really doubt Mal will let that happen.”
“I’m more worried about what you’ll let happen.” Paige walked toward me to wrap her arms around me and held me tight for a moment. “I’m so glad you’re still here. I would’ve been so lost if anything happened to you. I love you so much.”
Tears welled in my eyes for a second, but I determinedly blinked them away. “I love you too, chica.”
“Once your dysfunctional family reunion is over, I’ll cook breakfast for you all. Scrambled eggs in observance of your currently flushing uterus?”
I rolled my eyes with a laugh. “You’re the best kinda of crazy.”
“You know it!” Paige yelled at my retreating back.
I got to the end of the hall and paused for a second to take a deep breath.
I’d never realized how much anxiety I felt when I had to face my mom. Or maybe this time was different, given all that’d happened.
Straightening my shoulders, I calmly entered the room.