“You’ve had more than your due all your life.”

“Bullshit! It was you who got everything. The perfect daughter. I hate your fucking guts. I’ve hated you all my life.” She grabbed Sybill by the front of her jacket and all but spit in her face. “I wish you were dead.”

“I know that. Now take your hands off me.”

“You think you can make me?” With a laugh, Gloria shoved Sybill back a step. “You never had the guts before, did you? You’ll take it, and you’ll take it, and you’ll give me what I want, just like always. Shut that dog up!” she shouted at Seth as Foolish strained at the leash and snapped wildly. “Shut him up and get in the goddamn car before I—”

Sybill didn’t see her own hand come up, didn’t realize the order had gone from her brain to her arm. But she felt her muscles tighten, her rage erupt, and then Gloria was sprawled on the ground gaping at her.

“You get in the goddamn car,” she said evenly, not even looking at the Jeep that screeched up to the curb. Not blinking when Foolish dragged himself and Seth closer and growled low in his throat at the woman on the ground. “You go to California, or you go to hell, but you stay away from this boy, and you stay away from me. Keep out of this,” she snapped at Phillip as he and his brothers burst out of the Jeep.

“Get in the car and go, Gloria, or I’ll pay you back right now for everything you ever did to Seth. Everything you ever did to me. Get up and go, or when the cops get here to take you in for jumping bail, when we add charges of child abuse and extortion, there won’t be much left of you to put in a cell.”

When Gloria didn’t move, Sybill reached down and, with a strength born of fury, hauled her to her feet. “Get in the car and go, and don’t ever try to get near this boy again. You won’t get through me, Gloria. I swear to you.”

“I don’t want the damn kid. I just want some money.”

“Cut your losses. I’m not going to bother holding that dog or the Quinns back after another thirty seconds. Want to take all of us on?”

“Gloria, are you coming or not?” The driver flicked his cigarette out the car window. “I don’t have all day to hang around this bumfuck town.”

“Yeah, I’m coming.” She tossed her head. “You’re welcome to him. All he ever did was slow me down and get in my way. I’m going to score big in L.A. I don’t need anything from you.”

“Good,” Sybill murmured as Gloria climbed back in the car. “Because you’ll never get anything from me again.”

“You knocked her down.” Seth wasn’t shaking, nor was he pale now. As the sports car shrieked away, the look he sent Sybill was filled with gratitude, and with awe. “You knocked her down.”