Let's Play A Dirty Ass Game, Mr. CEO

Chapter 40: RULES TIMES

LAURA

My mother whirled upon hearing me, her eyes thickly lined as usual, burning into mine.

"Look who it is," she hissed, "the prodigal daughter."

I kept walking with the little confidence left in me, brushing past her. I’d built an armor so strong that her words never pierced through. But her eyes...they never failed to get me just the way she wanted. Squirming and in her control.

"Where’s Jose?" I asked Ivy, looking around the house.

"He’s not back yet. I’m sorry, ma’am." She hung her head. "I tried to make her understand that I couldn’t let her into the house in your house, and without your consent." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "But she’s one hell of a stubborn woman. Pardon me." She winced. "She insisted she had the rights as your mother. I thought it was awful, her approach."

"Thank you, Ivy," I sighed, because she had a habit of rambling on when not necessary. "Please take Eli upstairs. I’ll join him shortly."

As she turned and left, I blocked the doorway and glared at my mother. "What is the meaning of this?" I wanted to ask how she found me, but I knew it would be fruitless.

She would dance around the question until it irritated the life out of me.

The last time I saw my mother was five years ago. After I showed up again to our family home—I had no choice because I literally lost the tiny hope of an apartment of my own after the scandal—and she threw me out the moment she caught the whiff of pregnancy.

"I won’t have a whore in my house," she had said without remorse, asking me to head back to the man who put his seed in me, in the crudest manner possible.

My father had paid a deaf ear, washing his hands off, as usual.

That day, I’d turned my back on my family and swore to keep it that way forever. That’s why I left New York and went under the radar, to a place where they could never find me.

Until I got famous and my nights were ruined with worries about how they’d find me on the news one day, and come looking.

Finally, that dread had come into fruition.

Sweeney eyes raked down my body in greedy and jealous assertion. "You look well. Well enough to call home and ask about the ones you left behind."

My brows shot up in incredulity. "Excuse me?"

Did she forget I stopped being a part of that family the day she turned her back on her pregnant daughter?!

Her eyes lingered on my stomach a moment before dragging back to my face. "A little bratty princess or a prince charming?"

I folded my arms across my chest and glared at her. "What do you want?" I demanded. "How...how—"

"How did I find you?" She laughed. "Come on. You’re my daughter. You didn’t think I wouldn’t be able to find my daughter wherever in the world she was, did you?"

She stepped close, eyes glowing with desperate mischief. "We share a bond that never breaks, Laura."

She lifted her fingers to touch my face. I caught them and shoved her back. "Let’s not make this messy. Please leave."

"Let me see my grandson, at least."

"He’s mine! MINE! And I’ll never let a vile human like you anywhere near him. Never."

Her eyes flashed and hardened beneath friendly. Then she peered into the house and chuckled. "Well, it’s not like I’m dying to meet your child anyway. I’m just really here for some money. We hear you might be making waves in the fashion world. Look at your mother." She stretched her neck so she looked like an ostrich. "See how much she’s starving, trying to provide for the family. You’re in a position to help now. So do it."

I scoffed in disbelief. My eyes stung with pain and anger. "You sound like I never poured every last drop into you and that fucking family until I was drained. You dare drag your miserable ass to my house to beg for more?"

The slap came fast and hard. Just like everyone else before it. I saw stars for a moment, then my chest blazed hotter than ever.

"No matter how far you think you’ve grown, you’ll do well to remember I’m still your mother." Her eyes dropped to my burning cheek. "Is it clear enough now?"

I glared at her with red, stinging eyes, half my face burning. "This is the last time I’ll ever let you raise your hand on me. Don’t let me show you I’ve got hands too."

Before she could say anything else, I stepped back and slammed the door shut in her face, automatically locking it.

My intention was to find a wad of cash lying around and throw it in her face. And horrifyingly enough, that’s when I realized I left my purse in Tristan’s car in the hurry.

Fuck. I ran my fingers over my face, agitated at the fact that I would have to move past Sweeney again. Without doubt, she still lurked out there.

And what were the chances that Tristan was still out there? He might have not seen the purse and left already.

I was still contemplating going out to check when I heard a knock on the door, swift and controlled.

My head whipped up and watched the door for a moment, another wave of rage starting to bubble deep in my chest.

I swear to God, if it was her—

The knock came again. More urgent this time. Then the doorbell. Once. Twice.

I went over and glanced at the biometric screen to confirm that it was Sweeney Hayes before I totally lost my shit. But the figure I saw standing there was the last one I expected.

Tristan’s torso covering the camera, his shirt riding up to give me a delicious peak of deep V disappearing beneath his pants. "I came to return this." He flashed the purse in the camera. "Thought you might need it back right away."

I held my breath, waiting for Sweeney’s dramatic announcement of her presence. If she was around...

"Come get your guest, sweetie," she crooned in the next instant, proving me right. "I don’t bite." She laughed. "That’s my daughter." Probably addressing Tristan, who had fallen silent.

God, how embarrassing.

Eventually, I let out the breath in a deep sigh and waded to the door. After one final look around to make sure that Eli had not wandered out, I yanked the door open and came face-to-face with Tristan.

He stood there like a protective hulk, attractive as hell. I was so exhausted, all I wanted to do for a moment was lean into the rock solid span of chest before me and let it bear my weight for a while.

But I knew the moment that happened, I would want more. And whatever I wanted, I got.

It was only a matter of time and breaking a few personal rules/principles.

For the first time, Tristan looked at me with something other than sexual desire, and I wanted to slap it off his face.

I hated pity as much as I hated the way his stupid face and body affected me.