She didn’t argue with me as I turned back around and reached the top of the stairs before bursting into Mia’s room. She didn’t get the courtesy of a knock, considering how impolite she’d decided to be.
“Get out!” she said when her eyes landed on me. She was sitting on a velvet upholstered chair in the room, legs tucked beneath her, looking out of the broad window. Her dark eyes were red and puffy, and I assumed she'd been crying, but I found it difficult to be sympathetic towards her when she’d shown me disrespect.
I stormed over to her, invading her personal space by pressing my forehead against hers. Mia sank back against the chair, tipping onto the back legs, trying to get some space. My hands slammed down on the arms to stabilize the chair and trap her against me.
“You’re going to disrespect me in my own house?” I asked her through gritted teeth. I’d had enough of dealing with difficult people today and I didn’t expect to come home and continue to solve issues. “You! You chose to be here to save your pathetic father.”
The fear in her seemed to be replaced by something else. The steely look from earlier in the afternoon returned to her eyes before she yelled back at me, “You gave me no choice!”
“You had a clear choice.”
“Choose freedom and my Dad dies? What a decision,” she said, the sarcasm dripping off each of the words.
“Come down to dinner,” I ordered her, no longer indulging the conversation about Hector and the reckless decisions he’d made that had gotten us into this situation.
“Did you not get the message?” Mia asked, pushing her forehead against mine with a sudden flush of courage. “Go fuck yourself.”
I saw red. Without another thought, I grabbed her wrist and pulled so that Mia was yanked up from the chair.
“Get off me!”
I started to pull her towards the door, but she resisted, digging her heels into the plush, cream carpet that lined the floor of the bedroom.
“I’m not having dinner with you,” she yelled at me, pulling against my hold.
“Fine!” I let go of her wrist and she landed flat on her ass, wincing as she hit the ground. I stood over her and she drew her knees up to her chest. “Fine! You don’t want to eat? Don’t eat! I’m done trying to be nice to you.”
Turning on my heel, I left the room and slammed the door shut behind me. My voice carried through the house as I shouted, “Lydia! Toss the dinner! Looks likeno onehas an appetite anymore.”
Chapter Four
Mia
The moment Lucas had left, closing the door behind him earlier in the afternoon, I sank to the floor and cried.
How had my life come to this? How had I ended up in Lucas Foster’s home in order to make sure that my Dad kept his life? I had no idea how long I’d be here or what I was going to do while I was here, but the scenarios that filled my head flooded me with fear. Lucas needed to stay good to his word. I needed to believe I’d be back with my father before long.
As the day disappeared, darkness crept in, in the form of shadows that swallowed the stunning white decor and my stomach growled and gave an uncomfortable clench. The house had been still for a while now, not a footstep or a voice. After Lucas’s initial rage, there had been hours of silence and I debated whether it was safe enough to leave the room. Deciding to risk it, I found myself tiptoeing around the house until I stumbled upon the kitchen.
“Hungry, love?”
I jumped out of my skin and turned to see the woman who came to my room earlier.
“I just…” My heart still hammered in my chest, thinking that I was about to walk into yet another fight. I scanned the room quickly in case Lucas was there, but it was empty apart from the woman.
“It’s okay,” she said, putting down the dishcloth in her hands. “I kept you a plate. Take a seat and I’ll fetch it for you.”
She turned away from me and moved to the stove, and I hesitated before taking a seat at the table. Chewing on my bottom lip, a nervous habit I’d had since I was a child, I said, “Thank you. I’m really sorry about earlier.”
“Oh, don’t you worry about that,” she brushed me off. “Luc has always struggled to get a handle on that temper of his. Takes after Charlie in that sense.”
The older woman bustled over to the table and put a steaming bowl of stew down in front of me. The smell was enough to make me salivate and I picked up the spoon without hesitation.
“I’m Lydia,” she introduced herself. “Luc’s housekeeper.”
“Mia,” I told her my name as I dipped the spoon into the bowl and let the liquid warm my insides. The heat of the stew burned my tongue, but I was too hungry to care. “This is really good,” I told her as way of appreciation once I’d swallowed the bite.
She offered me a smile. “I’m sorry you’re here under these circumstances.”
