Always There

Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-Two

Songs for this chapter:
• Bitter - FLETCHER & Kito
• Story of My Life - One Direction

Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-Two:

Bryce's POV

"Sierra? What the hell are you doing here?"

My dad is pissed.

Everyone in the room except for me is suddenly on their feet, and I watch recognition dawn on Matt, Nessa, and Jordan's faces at the sound of my mother's name.

Leo pushes Elena behind his back and takes a firm hold of one of her hands, a barrier between his ex-wife and his current wife.

Protective bastard.

I lean my head against the wall behind me and groan as loudly as I can muster.

Of course she would show up now, after all these years of no contact. Always so fond of dramatics, always figuring out the most inconvenient time and place for her to make an appearance.

I hear the sound of Sierra's stilettos clicking against the tile floor as she approaches my bed. Leo backs away from her until Elena, still tucked behind his back, is nearly pressed against the wall.

To my other side, Nessa is clinging to one of Matt's hands and one of Jordan's.

I groan again.

"You need to leave. No one wants you here," I mutter. My voice is low, but I know that she can still hear me by the way her heels stop clicking against the floor.

"Oh, you're breaking my heart," she replies sweetly. The snarl on her face is anything but sweet. "I came all the way from Florida to visit my son in the hospital, and this is how he treats me?"

I blink at her. "You've never cared about. Don't start pretending to now."

She's only a few feet away from the end of my bed, and the distance is far too small for my liking.

Blessedly, my dad cuts in to the conversation. "Why are you really here, Sierra?"

Sierra lifts a hand to her face and runs one elongated red fingernail over her bottom lip, pretending to ponder Dad's question.

"Well, a little birdie told me that you had finally married that blonde bimbo you've been obsessed with since we were younger. I was just wondering whether or not you told Bryce the whole story about you and her," Sierra says with an acidic smile.

I turn to face my dad. "Don't we have a restraining order on her? Can't someone just call the cops and get her out of here?"

Realization flashes in Dad's eyes and he reaches to retrieve his phone from the pocket of his jeans.

Sierra raises a hand and he freezes.

She snorts. "Calm down, Leo. I don't want to shoot you again. Hell, I'm not even allowed to own a gun anymore. All I want is for you to tell my son the truth."

Dad huffs. His eyes are paper-thin slits as he stares at my mother. "Why? I know you. You wouldn't come all the way here just for that."

Sierra begins to examine her manicure, nonchalant as can be. "Well, I haven't seen my son in years. I haven't been able to track him down since you threw me into prison, and this is the only time I've been able to get his location. Is it a crime to want to see him?"

I can't help the laugh that bubbles up from my chest. "Yes, actually, it is." I smile. "Restraining order?"

Sierra laughs. "Well, I guess you're right. But, I wanted to see you, so here I am. Has your father told you about him and his pathetic little wife?"