She didn’t turn the radio on this time. She’d opened her window a little wider, letting the wind inside the car. I noticed she liked doing that while she drove.
We were quiet, but it was comfortable. It surprised me. I’d never had a comfortable moment with a girl before. Not like this. There was usually an expectation to be met—between the sheets. I never wanted anything else after that.
I could see how empty, how shallow all of it was when I was sitting beside her. I raked my hands in my hair, feeling uneasy. When she threw me another look, another smile, every thought in my head quieted down.
And…I relaxed.
She slowed down when she reached my street. When she laughed softly, I turned to look at her. I’d been trying not to look at her all throughout the drive—just in case it freaked her out. We’d reached some sort of truce tonight, and I didn’t want to ruin it.
“What’s funny?” I asked.
“You’re right. I owe you a shirt and pants. You made me very mad at—”
The rest of her words didn’t register when I saw the black Ferrari as we pulled up to my driveway.
All the blood drained from my face. My hands felt cold, clammy.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Nothing.” My hands turned into fists to prevent them from shaking. “Go. I don’t need you anymore.”
She laughed.
There was a big ball of dread in the pit of my stomach.
“Stop joking around. Don’t worry. We’ll go shopping and I’ll get you a shirt and—”
“Leave,” I whispered.
She looked at me, confused, then her eyes turned to the car in my driveway, then back at me again.
It took everything I had to lift myself out of that car. She opened her mouth to say something, but I cut her off.
“Leave!” I said it more forcefully. “I’m done with you.”
I slammed the door closed and walked up my driveway.
My heart was beating like a drum in my chest. She hadn’t moved. I heard the car running and felt her eyes throwing daggers at my back. And then I heard her tires squeal and the car zooming away.
I turned, watching her car disappear. I knew it would end, knew it would come to this. I just didn’t expect it would be this early. I thought we’d had time. I was wrong.
I clenched my fists, trying to tamp down my anger, and faced my house. I closed my eyes as I held the doorknob, took a deep breath, and opened it.
“Hello, Cameron.”
Time to confront reality.
Chapter 19
Cameron
“Hello, Cameron.”
Love, guilt, and hatred rolled into one big ball that lodged in the pit of my stomach at the sight of my mother.
Raven lounged on the couch, comfortable in her own skin. She had always been that way, as though she owned everything she set her eyes on. That, or she knew she could buy anything and own it.
Everyone had a price, she’d said, and if there wasn’t one, she’d find out what was important to them and use it to get what she wanted.