Wicked in Love

Chapter 35 - as you have

Kara

Beware of the one who holds the dog.

Tala's words from a long time ago echoed in my head over and over as I stared at the stunning woman. I had an overwhelming urge to snatch Rosie out of her arms, but warning bells rang in my head, telling me to stay where I was for now.

"Put the dog down."

Her eyebrows lifted in surprise, but I knew she was faking it. "Is that how you greet a guest? You're hurting my feelings."

Her fingers stroked Rosie's head, the movement as gentle as the flutter of a butterfly's wings, but her nails were sharp as talons and painted a glossy black.

"Why are you here?"

The smile came back, slow and knowing. Devious.

"I'm looking for my son. He's tall, devilishly handsome, a gift from the gods. I'm sure someone of your level would not pass him by without looking up."

She paused, letting that sink in. As she put Rosie down and I watched the little dog run away to safety, realization hit me like a ton of bricks.

She was Raven. She was Cameron's mother.

"Have you seen my Cameron?"

The relish was there in her eyes, the twisted gleam of amusement as she watched my face register her identity.

"You bitch," I hissed.

It was an instantaneous reaction. I couldn't have controlled myself if I tried. My chest felt tight with anger that was climbing dangerously to rage. This was the woman who had made Cameron's life a living hell. The woman who had tortured his mind.

"That's not very nice," she said. "But the ones on the bottom struggling rarely are, aren't they?"

Struggling? I'm struggling, all right. Struggling not to come over there and share my fist with your face!

She yawned, raising her hand an inch away from her mouth for cover, blatantly showing me how unbothered she was by my anger. Her diamond rings gleamed in the sun.

Then her upper lip snarled in disgust as her attention was pulled to her muddied designer stilettos. "I never understood why he goes in for this nature shit."

Carefully, she scraped her heels on the grass.

Calm the hell down! Use your head. Why the fuck is she here? Get some information that can help Cameron. You won't get anything out of her if you become reactive.

I took a deep breath, let it out slowly, did it again. The way her eyes, pure black with a glint of malice, watched my every move made me feel like a hamster in a cage.

But that was where she underestimated me. I wasn't a hamster. I was a dragon. I would show her. The nerve she had, the shameless audacity showing up in Cameron's home—our home outraged me. She was a psychopath, a narcissist.

The fact that I got into her car and was fooled by her mask didn't escape me. I didn't know who she was back then. I thought she was a friend of Rick's. I was stupidly reckless. I wouldn't make the same mistake again.

"He should be back soon. He just had something to do," I said conversationally, forcing myself to swallow the lump of hatred burning in my throat.

She angled her head to the side, assessing my face shrewdly, probably wondering why I had become friendly with her. Then she smiled at me.

And I smiled back, bared my teeth.

"Ah. You've sprouted a backbone. Oh, fun!"

"Backbone?" I repeated, copying her tone. "That's what I'm made of, can't you tell? Why are you looking for Cameron?"