To Capture a Thorn (The Society 2)

She stopped and licked her lips. “I was going to take you. I wanted to but I wasn’t going to take you to the school. I had a bag packed as I always did. I thought with him distracted, I’d get away, finally.”

Joan’s lips pressed together, and I saw tears in her eyes.

“He came home the night before and he knew. He knew what I was going to do.” Joan put her hands to her neck. “He grabbed me so hard, I couldn’t breathe. I nearly passed out, but then he let me go. He told me that … if I wanted my daughter to survive the year, then I would be a good mother to her, drop her off at the school, and then come home to him, crawling on my hands and knees.”

“And you did it?”

Joan nodded. “I … I played my role. I was the perfect mom, only I was sending my daughter into that school, knowing what was to come, and I hated myself. You didn’t deserve that.” Tears fell from her eyes.

I wanted to hug her, but I held myself back. It would be so easy to forgive her. At the same time, I couldn’t, and I hated myself for the way my feelings were messing with my head.

“Alexander had been waiting for this moment for so long. The selection. I didn’t want you to go through with it. When the agreement was made, I thought … I hoped, I’d get a chance to get you as far away from all of this as possible.”

“Dad wasn’t there,” I said. “You could have driven off with me that day.”

“That night, he told me what he did to Drew,” she said. “How he … killed her. He injected her with poison, Sian, but he made it look like she was shot. He told me that he had so many friends who were sick and tired of The Society and all that it entailed. How he had people watching. There was no way I could protect you. All I could do was wait.” Joan lifted her hand. “I should have known if I couldn’t deal with him, my daughter would find a way.”

I shook my head. “I didn’t find a way good enough, Mom. He hasn’t stopped. You’re in the hospital because of him. Heather’s dead because of him.”

“He couldn’t stand that girl. I think he knew she was placed there by The Society.”

“How did you know about that?”

“Lucas told me,” Joan said. “At least I knew someone was looking out for you when I couldn’t.”

I had no idea what to say.

The doctor chose that moment to come into the room, and I stood.

“Don’t go,” Joan said. “We have a lot to talk about.”

I nodded, but for now, I really needed to go get some coffee.

Leaving the room, I went straight toward the cafeteria where I found Gideon, Dante, Mateo, and William already sitting around the table.

I ordered my coffee, paid for it, and went to their table to join them.

“Do you have room for one more?” I asked.

William moved, nudging Mateo over, and I slid into the booth.

“You okay?” Gideon asked.

I felt the last few months, that was all they had asked me. “I will be.” Being around my mom was hard.

I was pleased she was no longer at the mercy of my dad, that I wouldn’t want for anything, but I didn’t really know what it would be like to have a mother. Drew was the closest I’d gotten. Now I was discovering all along she wanted to be my mom. Joan took care of me when I was first born, and only got Drew when Alexander’s controlling got more out of control. Kind of strange that my dad would want to control every element of people’s lives.

“How are you guys?” I asked. “I feel like I’ve been neglecting all of you.”

“We’re waiting. Hoping you’re doing well,” Mateo said.

“When all of this is over, I think I want to go to college to have a break from all the drama,” I said.

“The moment it is, we’re all going,” Gideon said.

I laughed.

I noticed William glaring at his bottle of water. Reaching out, I touched his hand. “You okay?”

He looked up, those green eyes of his staring right at me. His fingers turned and he touched mine with his. “More than fine now.”

We held hands and I smiled at him. Slowly, I saw the smile I had come to love and cherish return to his lips.

“That’s good. I was starting to worry.” I stood and kissed each of my guys on their lips, not caring who saw.

“You’re going to have the nurses all gossiping,” Dante said.

“Let them.”

“I heard they’ve got a bet going on for who she is dating,” William said.

“They do?” Mateo asked, glancing around. “Who is in the lead?”