Salvation (Angels Halo MC Next Gen 1)

“As far as I know.” He shrugged his shoulders, but Mom’s gaze was locked on the scrapes on my cheek and didn’t see him.

“Our daughter is arrested, harmed by some pussy Barney Fife wannabe, and he doesn’t tell me? What the hell else has he kept from me?” She touched my cheek again, and when I couldn’t hide my flinch this time, her tears returned. “Baby, I’m so sorry. I haven’t been around for you enough lately. Please forgive me.”

My eyes widened. “Mom, what are you talking about? You’re always here for me.”

Two fat tears fell down her cheeks, and she shook her head. “No. You’ve been going through so much lately, and I’ve been so caught up in this damn cancer thing, I’ve lost track of everything going on in your and your brother’s lives.”

She enfolded me in her arms, hugging me so tight I struggled to breathe for a few moments, but I hugged her back. Her tears were making my own rush to the surface, and all I wanted to do was comfort her.

“Who am I killing, Rave?” Uncle Jet asked casually, putting his now-empty mug in the sink. “Murphy or Bash?”

Mom gave me one last squeeze before walking back over to the chopping board. “No one,” she answered just as casually, and I shuddered. “If you touch either of them, I’m going to be pissed.”

“Raven—”

“I said no,” she barked. “I’ll deal with Bash and Murphy myself.”

“But you’re supposed to be taking it easy.” She turned her head, giving him a look that had him shutting his mouth with a snap. They had a staredown, and I was seriously getting nervous when Mom returned to chopping the vegetables. “Lexa, do you feel up to going to the grocery store for me?”

“Sure, Mom.” Anything to get out of there. Mom was making me nervous as hell. “Do you have a list?”

She motioned with the knife to a Post-it on the fridge. “I think that’s all I need. Your brother mentioned wanting chili yesterday, and I woke up craving it.”

“Where is Max anyway?”

“He went to work with your dad this morning. Dad was pissed at him for some reason.” She narrowed her eyes on me. “Do you know anything about that?”

“Mom, it’s Max we’re talking about. Dad could have been pissed at him for a hundred different reasons,” I reminded her, but I couldn’t help wondering if Dad was punishing Max for what he’d said to me about Mom. That still stung, but I wasn’t going to narc on my little brother. Mom was already unpredictable, and I didn’t want to risk Max losing a limb for a moment of idiocy.

Grabbing the list off the fridge, I called a “bye” as I headed out. As Ben’s text said, my car was parked at the end of the driveway. My purse was still in the front seat, I saw as I got in. When I started it, I immediately noticed two things.

I had a full tank of gas. There had been a quarter of a tank when I’d driven over to Ben’s apartment the night before, but it was completely full now.

And there was a huge shirt folded under my purse that I could already tell smelled just like Ben. Grabbing it, I lifted it to my nose, inhaling deeply. I fell asleep with that scent filling my senses the night before, his arms wrapped around me, making me feel like there wasn’t a force in the world that could touch or harm me as long as he was right there holding me.

Pulling out my phone, I texted Ben.

Me: Thanks for the shirt and the gas.

Smiling to myself, I drove to the grocery store. As soon as I walked through the automatic doors, however, the smile disappeared as all eyes turned in my direction.

I realized then I was the headlining topic of gossip for the entire town that morning.

Gritting my teeth, I got a basket and quickly grabbed all the things on Mom’s list. The last item on the list was sliced cheese from the deli. Mom loved thick slices for grilled cheese with soup and chili, and my stomach growled at the thought of a bowl with the gooey melted cheese sandwiches, reminding me I hadn’t eaten breakfast yet.

There were two people already in line, both of them older women. Standing back at a respectable distance, I waited for them to finish ordering. The first lady was ordering the entire deli, it seemed, so I pulled out my phone to distract myself while waiting.

Seeing I had a reply to my earlier text, I opened it, my smile returning.

Ben: Wear it every night and dream of me.

“…can’t believe she did that to his vehicle,” the woman in front of me was saying, pulling my attention from my phone to her.

I narrowed my gaze on the woman even as I felt my cheeks heat.

“I’m not worried about it,” the first woman assured the second, her focus on the selection of deli meats while the attendant beh

ind the counter sliced up her Cajun turkey. “I know he’s just trying to give Paige a hard time with that Reid girl until he finally forgives her and takes her back.”