Irresistible (Underneath it All Series: Book One) (An Alpha Billionaire Romance) (9 page)

If Rose wasn't right behind me, trying to be quiet and go unnoticed, I would have snatched back the sleeves of her housecoat to see if she'd added drugs to her list of vices since Stevie came on the scene.

My mother reached into the pocket on her dingy coat and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, pounding the crumpled box on the palm of her hand. "Always a pleasure to see my eldest, even if she looks like she still has a foot stuck up her ass."

Stevie let out a belly laugh that devolved into a coughing fit. "Good one, baby," he wheezed after he caught his breath.

My mother stuck a cigarette between her chapped lips and snapped at the man. He immediately brandished a lighter and lit the end of her cigarette. She inhaled and exhaled smoke, the fog masking her face.

"Can you take your sister for a few days? Me and Stevie are working on some things and she'll just be in the way."

I blinked, sure that I was still so stunned by her bullshit that I was hearing things. "What?"

"Can you take your sister to the city for a few days or not?" my mother snapped impatiently.

The way she said it, like my sister was an inconvenience, was what had me baffled. I absolutely would rather Rose be with me and safe than with her. Any damn day of the week. I'd even offered to have her move in with me when I'd moved off campus, but it meant changing schools, and Rose didn't want that.

I craned my neck toward my sister. There was a cloud hanging over her, despite the sun blaring down on us. It was a heaviness that I'd carry for her in a minute, if I could.

"Rose is always welcome to stay with me,” I tried to keep my voice level. “As long as she needs to."

“Oh, don't get any ideas," my mother glowered. "It's just for a few days, then she's coming back home, where she belongs."

I glared right back at the woman who had caused more pain than any rare happiness she bestowed on us. "That's debatable."

"Hey!" Stevie piped, crossing his arms sternly. "You show your mama some respect."

Before I could tell him my mother had plowed through all the respect I could spare a long time ago, she wrapped an arm around his shoulders and shushed him.

"I'm used to her bitchiness," she assured him, shaking her head like it was the biggest injustice she'd ever known. "And if I let her get in a word edgewise, she'd say she's earned the right to treat me like crap because she's helping me out of a tight spot. That's love, right Sadie?"

For once, I listened to my mother. I didn't have anything nice to say, so I said nothing at all.

Satisfied that she got the last word, my mother uncoiled herself from her man and gave him his marching orders. "Go grab Rose's duffel bag from the living room, baby.”

Rose finally spoke, swiveling to gape at our mother. "You packed my bag?"

My mother's answer was to shuffle forward and pet my sister’s head like she was a dog. "You be good now, you hear?"

I snatched the bag from Stevie's hand and forced cheer into my voice when I faced Rose. "Ready to go?"

Rose followed me out to the car in silence. I expected her to spend the forty-five minute drive back to the city on her phone.

Brooding. Hurting.

Instead, the minute we put the house and whatever scam that woman was cooking behind us, Rose whipped around to face me and asked, “So, who's the guy you're into?"

Laughing despite myself, I welcomed the subject change. It meant my demons, our demons, could stay tucked away.

For now.

~

Thank you for taking the time to read Irresistible (Underneath It All: Book One). Please consider leaving a review. xoxo, AC

A
va Claire is a sucker for Alpha males and happily ever afters. When not putting pen to paper or glued to her e-reader, Ava likes road tripping, karaoke, vintage fashion, and fantasizing about her favorite book boyfriends.

Connect with Ava:

Blog:
http://avaclaireromantica.blogspot.com

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/ava.claire.9

Newsletter:
http://eepurl.com/xhR39

Twitter:
@avaclairewrites

Stay tuned to my
blog
for up to date information on my works in progress and release schedules!