“Don’t listen to whatever these bastards have said.” A mask goes over her face as she smiles at me. “I’m your mum, Jared. These people are lying to you to cause trouble.”
“You’re fucking certifiable if you think your son buys that bullshit,” Xavier says, pushing her down into a wooden chair that’s been placed in front of the couch. Sawyer bends down behind her, restraining her wrists and ankles together with zip ties and tying them to the chair.
“Is this really necessary?” she asks, sounding bored.
“You seem to have forgotten our little chat from earlier,” Sawyer says, coming around to the front. He shoves a tablet in her face. “All your bank accounts are frozen, and our legal team is poised to transfer the deeds of every property you own into our names. If you want to lose everything, by all means, continue lying to your son’s face.”
Who the fuck are these guys? Sydney and I trade another shocked look, and it’s becoming the norm.
“I’m not saying shit. You’ll just take everything and murder me anyway.”
“I already told you your fate lies with Jared. As much as others in this room might like to riddle you with bullets or have you locked away for the rest of your life, what happens to you will be your son’s decision.” Sawyer looks over at me, and I see nothing but the truth in his eyes.
I nod, spotting the relief creep over Mum’s face as she watches us. It’s more than a little premature. Right now, I’m close to wrapping my hands around her throat and choking the life from her myself.
“I want the truth, Mum, and don’t even think about lying. You took me away from Sydney and tried to have her killed. I’m not feeling very charitable, and I have zero patience left. If you want to survive, you’ll tell me everything and hold nothing back.”
A brief glint of confidence flashes in her eyes before she conceals it. She doesn’t think I have it in me to kill her. Maybe I don’t, but if she is guilty of everything, I will not let her walk away unpunished.
“Yes, I tried to have the little slut killed, but it’s not my fault. You can blame Herman because he failed to keep her in line.”
I push all my emotions into a mental lockbox and pretend like my mother isn’t my mother. It’s the only way I’ll get through this without going crazy. “Why do you not want me with the woman I love?”
“Because she’s not worthy of you,” she spits.
I rub Sydney’s arm when I feel her trembling beside me.
“No offspring of that bitch could ever be good enough for my only son.” Her features appear to soften, but I trust nothing about her anymore. “You were always destined for greatness, Jared, but you suffer the same curse as your father. You let your cock rule your life, and it’s been disappointing to watch. First, this little slut, and then that crazy Italian bitch. I was protecting you from a marriage like mine. If you stay with Sydney, she’ll only cheat on you, just like her cunt of a mother.” Her eyes bleed with poison. “Michelle was my best friend! We did everything together. I confided in her about Amos’s affairs and how much they hurt me. She urged me to leave him, but I would never do that. I loved him so much. Later, I realized why she was encouraging me. She wanted him all to herself! That stupid cow wanted me to divorce my husband so she could marry him. Well, fuck that. She wasn’t having him, and her daughter wasn’t having you. Don’t you see, Jared? It was all for you! Everything I have done was to give you the best life and to ensure you ended up with someone worthy of you.”
She sounds delusional and insane, and I wonder how I’ve never seen it before. Sure, there were occasions when I was growing up when she’d lose the plot. Screech and scream and throw things around, but I just put it down to her having a short fuse. I knew her relationship with my father was tempestuous as they often argued. But this is a whole different level of crazy.
“That’s not your decision to make. You tore me away from the only girl I’ve ever loved, and I’ll never forgive you for it.”
“Don’t forget to tell him about Anvil,” Xavier says, sucking on a cherry-red popsicle.
“Anvil?” Sydney straightens up. “What about Anvil?”
“She was grooming him, and he did a lot of her dirty work,” Sawyer says.
All the blood drains from my face as I stare at the woman who birthed me and realize she’s a complete stranger.
“Fuck off looking at me like that, Jared. Of course, I didn’t groom him. He wanted me.” She smirks, obviously still believing she’s in the clear because she doesn’t think I have it in me to punish my own mother for her crimes. She’ll find out in due course how wrong she is. “He couldn’t keep his hands off me.”
I almost vomit on the spot.
“Tell Jared how young he was when you took his virginity,” Sawyer says.
“Anvil was always very mature for his age and very well endowed for a teenager.”
“I think I’m going to puke,” Sydney says, and I’m not far behind.
“He was thirteen,” Xavier says, glaring at my mother as he noisily slurps his popsicle. It would be comical if there was anything even remotely funny about this.
“Age is irrelevant. He loved me. From the minute we started having sex, he was fucking me any chance he got. He was my good boy and so eager to learn. Such a good pupil.”
“Not according to the law, you sick bitch,” Sydney says, and I’m glad she articulated it because I’m currently incapable of forming any words.
Gladys narrows her eyes at my girlfriend. “You’re in no position to judge me. Junkie whore.”
