My body is so confused on what to do and my mind is all over the place. Parts of me I never knew existed ache, and it’s not on the surface.

It’s inside.

Something is wrong.

Something’s breaking.

Am I breaking?

“Sweetheart.” My mother’s soft whisper draws my attention, and when her palm touches my cheek, I jolt, my eyes lifting to hers. “It’s okay.”

“Mom...” I grip her wrists, subconsciously seeking her affection.

“You want this,” she promises, nodding as if she’s coaxing me along. “Trust it. You know you’re attracted to him, and he to you. Everything will be okay.”

“No.” I shake my head.

“Yes.”

“Mom...” I swallow, my lungs strained and muscles coiling beneath my skin, twitching and aching as I open myself up to my mother, confessing something for the very first time. “I need more.”

Her thumbs stroke my cheek, and she whispers, “No, honey, you don’t.”

Chapter 28

My mother’s parting instructions are for me to familiarize myself with the home and to prepare for Anthony’s arrival. By prepare, she means pretty myself up, but even if I wanted to, there’s no time left for that.

She hasn’t even made it to the driveway, and he’s already stepping from his car.

My heart screams for me to run, but my feet don’t get the message, and then Anthony’s standing just outside the entrance, his phone to his ear.

His voice carries through the grand doors as he argues with the person on the other line, threatening to take their name off of a party list, knowing that taking a man’s access to the world he believes he belongs is the quickest way to get what you want. I could almost roll my eyes if I wasn’t already spinning in my head.

More words are mumbled, followed by a hard demand and snapped ‘not a minute past,’ and then he’s walking in, a perfect grin already in place, blue eyes bright and shining.

“Wow.” His smile seems to spread. “I didn’t expect walking inside to find you waiting for me to feel so exciting.”

That makes one of us.

I force my mouth to curve up, my eyes trailing his every move as he slips his jacket from his back and that maid I spotted earlier comes out of nowhere and sweeps it from his hold, the two not once making eye contact.

He pulls his wallet from his pocket and sets it on top of the square crystal bowl on the table near the door and turns to me with his hands in his pockets.

He smiles, stepping closer. “You seem a bit stunned.”

A quick laugh leaves me. “Yeah, I’m definitely surprised, but my mother is nothing if not stealthily shocking.”

It takes effort not to look away.