Or she could tell her the truth, once and for all.
“I needed you six months ago, Mom. I told you that. I needed you and I asked for help and you didn’t come.”
“Well, I’m here now! We can—”
“No, we can’t. You can go back to India, or you can stay in the States, butweare not doing anything. You’re about five and a half months too late for that, Mother.”
Mouth open, mouth shut, mouth open… It was strange to see her mom sputter. Strange and empowering.
“I need to talk to Joey now. You’re welcome to listen, but you might not like what you’re about to hear. You can stay or go. Your choice.”
“I’m staying right here. With my baby girl.”Even if you don’t appreciate me, her look said. Whatever.
Uma turned to Joey, and it was obvious he was ready. Oh, the man liked a good challenge. She’d seen that side of him in the courtroom.
God, his eyes were blue. So transparent in the fading light that you’d think you could see him inside out. Only that was one of his tricks: looking guileless while keeping his sadism under wraps. It reminded her of Ted Bundy, the handsome serial killer who’d pulled people in so easily only to cut them limb from limb.
“I called to tell you to let me go,” Uma said, enunciating each word as if he were half-deaf.
“We could have discussed this at home, honey.”
“Really? Because I remember the last time we discussed something in your home, and that’s not an experience I’d like to repeat. Ever.”
“I’m sorry about that, Umami sweetie.” She hated that stupid nickname. “I’m sorry I hurt you.”
“Are you?”
He leaned in, giving her the full intensity of his eyes “I regret the way we ended. I’m sorry you left me.”
“Oh,that. Right. Do you regret doing this?” She ripped up one sleeve, then the other, and shoved her arms in his face, barely registering her mother’s shocked gasp, and continued, choosing her words with care. “Do you regret forcing me down and marking me against my will, Joey? What about when you put the gun to my head and threatened to end me? You regret that? Do you?”
He didn’t spare her arms a glance, and she realized he couldn’t. He’d have to admit to what he’d done then, wouldn’t he? Maybe he’d see her as damaged goods now. Honestly, that wouldn’t be so bad.
“Look at me, Joey. Right now. Admit what you did.” She leaned in, hand fisted white, arm pressed almost to his nose, lines standing out in stark relief to her white skin.
“I’m sorry I hurt you, Umami doll.” He didn’t look remotely sorry. He looked slightly irritated and embarrassed in a keep-your-voice-down kind of way. “You just…you were reallyharsh, you know? You went kind of crazy. And the things you were saying? I couldn’t get you to understand.” Joey leaned in to whisper, as if no one else could hear. “Why couldn’t you just listen to me?”
“What do you want now, Joey? You’ve got half the cops in the state after me. My phone’s being monitored.” She made a big show of the phone held tight in her hand. “I can’t access my bank account or use my credit card without raising red flags. What you’re doing can’t possibly be legal. Why are you harassing me like this?”
He swallowed, and the tightness around his mouth showed how irritated he was at her outburst. Clearly, this wasn’t going the way he’d envisioned it. Well, tough shit, because this was Uma’s show.
“You need to come home now. I get it. You’re upset about the”—Joey waved at her arm—“misunderstanding, but…” He leaned in close, and she got a waft of those tiny mints he bought by the case. She nearly gagged when he stage-whispered, “You. Punched. Me.” Each word came out harsh, punctuated by shallow breaths and a light shower of spittle. “You tricked me, tied me up, left me there, Uma.For the cleaning lady to find!How could you do that to me? Did you honestly think I’d let you go after that?”
Her mother shifted where she stood and opened her mouth to talk. Uma interrupted her.
“I tricked you?” She was loud now, and hehatedthat. He hated vulgarity. “You, Joseph Chisholm, handcuffed me forseventeen hours, beat me, and marked me.Against my will.You wrecked my skin with your insane chicken scratch, and…you…”
This was the hard part. The part she’d never said to anyone. This was the bit she wasn’t sure she’d be able to get out. But she did. She said it.
Uma swallowed hard, closed her eyes, remembered the feel of Ivan’s lips against her skin, and found the courage. “Youraped me, Joey. On the living room floor. You pushed my face into the carpet while I tried to scream at you to stop.” Oh man, the tears were coming. Rolling down her cheeks in streams. And although she’d said everything quietly, the intensity in her voice had to have carried halfway across the state.
On a sob, her mother pushed away from Joey.
“Do you remember that part, Joey? Huh? Do you? I tried to say no, but how could I with my underwear stuffed in my mouth?”
Joey’s lips opened, then closed into a hard, thin line.
“You know what cracks me up right now, though, after everything?” She pushed a laugh into her voice, watching as the rage suffused his perfectly formed features. He was mad, really pissed. And that was what she wanted from him. Experience had told her that when Joey was angry, he did stupid, stupid things. “You thought I wanted you back today? Remember? Look how you came running when I called! My God, how stupid can you be?”
