The Pain Of The Pleasure

THIRTY-SEVEN - RYTH

"YOU LOOK PERFECT, MOM." I smiled when she turned. Her eyes shone with concern as she reached toward her hair. "You think?" "I know." I stepped closer, grabbing her hand. "Stop fussing...you'll ruin it." "You're right," she agreed, and dropped her hand. "You're right." She looked perfect in a simple, off-white dress, the lace hugging her figure. She didn't look like my mom.

She looked like someone else, someone young and perfect...someone happy. I wanted to feel that happiness for her...I was desperate to feel it. But no matter how hard I smiled, I couldn't stop thinking about dad. "Mom." "Hmm?" She turned, looking at herself side-on in the mirror as she slid a hand down her ass. "I haven't been able to reach dad. I've called the prison like five times, now they don't even try to get him to the phone.

They tell me he's not taking calls or visitors, and I don't understand why?" She froze, her gaze meeting mine in the reflection. Fear. That's what I saw. Fear. "What's going on? Why won't they let me talk to him?" She turned slowly, stepping close. "You know I love your father. I have loved him for a very long time and I'm going to do everything in my power to get him out of where he is. But, honey, your father did some terrible things, cruel things, things that the law just cannot overlook. As hard as Creed and the other lawyers have been working to help him, they just have not been able to find a way to get him free."

I rocked back on my heels. "They...they can't get him out?" All this time, I'd been waiting for the call, hoping and praying I'd at least see him again, even if we were no longer a family. I wasn't a kid...I wasn't naive. I knew we'd never have again what we'd once had, and maybe that was a good thing. It wasn't like it had been happy. But I didn't want this. Didn't want dad forever behind bars.

"So he took the news hard." She reached for my hand. "And I guess he just needs some time to process this. You understand, right?" Tears threatened my view. I tried to swallow the hard lump in the back of my throat. But the damn thing wouldn't budge.

I nodded slowly, my mind racing, trying to come to terms with the news. "When he's ready to see us, then we'll go...as a family, because that's what we are, Ry. A family. We will support him, we will love him. We will do everything in our power to bring him home to us, no matter how long it takes." "You—you won't give up on him?" She brushed her hand along my jaw and stared into my eyes. "No more than I'd give up on you."

I forced a smile. "Good." "Good?" My smile grew wider. "Yeah." "Alright." She dropped my hand and turned. "You're really okay with us leaving right after, aren't you? I mean, I hate to leave you on your own. But the wineries are apparently calling." My pulse throbbed. I nodded. "Yeah, of course. I'll be busy anyway with school." "And you have the boys here if you need anything." That burn reached higher as she drew me in for a hug. "Two weeks is too long to leave you." Two weeks...two weeks of them.

Avoiding them. Hating them. "No, it's not too long. It's your honeymoon. Besides, I won't even notice you're gone." She pulled away, smiling. "Promise?" "Promise." She clapped her hands together like a damn schoolgirl. "Okay, so let's do this. Let's become a family." I grabbed the small bouquet of deep yellow roses, followed her out to the entrance of the lavish garden, and stopped by her side. The last week had been a blur. I hid at school, hanging back in the classroom while Gio still limped away, avoiding me as best as he could.

Then I left school, snarling at Nick as he waited at the drop-off point every morning and every goddamn afternoon. Then I came home, to lock myself in my room, furious at Tobias and the other two for treating me like I was a damn possession, something they could control...and use when and how they wanted.

I had news for them... There'd be no using, not by them. Not since the park. I licked my lips, heat rising to my cheeks as soft music began to play, and the memory returned. The hard tree against my back, Nick as he'd fucked me like a damn animal. I winced, playing it off as a smile at one of the guests, and followed mom toward Creed. It was standing room only. The small gathering was only supposed to be close friends and family.