When We Run (Mason Brothers Book #4)

Chapter 39

CADE

This woman caught me off guard. Was she really Danica’s mom? Is she lying to catch me in something? “I don’t know what you’re talking about, ma’am. Can I get you a drink order or something for dinner? We have a busy establishment tonight, so if you aren’t going to order anything I am going to ask you to leave.”

“Cut the crap, Cade Mason. The rest of the world may be unaware of the little secret that you and Danica have, but not me. I’m well aware.”

I still wasn’t sure this was really her mom, but I wasn’t going to take any chances. “I think you need to leave now,” I motion to show her the door.

She does move, rather she leans in closer and glares at me, “I think you need to listen to what I have to say very carefully, young man.”

“I don’t have to listen to anything that you say. You’re a manipulator, a liar, and a huge fucking bitch.” 

“Is everything okay over here?” Fletch steps up behind me.

I still look down at this woman, refusing to cut eye contact, two can play this game. “Hey, Fletch. Yeah, we’re fine. This lady was just leaving because it turns out she didn’t want anything to eat or drink after all.”

“I’m not leaving until I say what I have to say. If you want I’ll say it right here in front of everybody, but perhaps you’d want to go to a place with a little more privacy?” She smirks, she must know more than I think she does.

This time Fletch puts his hand on my shoulder, “Cade, what’s going on? Do I need to call the sheriff?”

“No, it’s fine, Fletch,” I brush him off and look back to this snake sitting in front of me, “You’ve got ten minutes and not a second longer.”

“That’s all I need.”

Fletch gives me a look of confusion, but I look away and just walk back to the office. I don’t even bother to check to see if Danica’s mom is following me, I can feel her snobby aura behind me. I step aside and let her walk into the office and then I close the door with a bit of an extra shove and then stand behind the desk, putting some distance between the two of us.

“What are you doing here? Danica left this morning because she said she was going to visit you. She’s going to see you because you told her that you wanted to apologize and that you missed her.” 

She waves her hand dismissively in the air, “Oh please, child, it is a short drive and I will be back before she comes over.”

“It won’t matter, I’m calling her after you leave and telling her that you’re still full of shit. God, I hate you so much. I don’t even know you. I don’t even know your damn name, but I hate you. Do you know the body image issues that Dans has because of you? She’s GORGEOUS, but she’s always worried about eating too much of this, not working off enough of that, etc.”

This woman looks amused, but I’m on a roll with all the things I’ve wanted to say for months. “Then don’t get me started on the fact that she actually thought that you just wanted her to be happy. She wanted so badly for you to just accept her choices for what they are. God, I knew it, I knew it was too good to be true, but Dans is so damn innocent and sweet, she just wants her mom to love her.”

The sound of her laughter just pisses me off even more. She really does not care about her daughter. “She knows I love her. I’m doing this because I love her. I don’t know the history the two of you have or how she came to be here, but the thing between the two of you is just a phase. She is never going to be happy living like this. It is below her and you know it.”