I exchanged unimpressed looks with the security guard, who stepped inside and closed the door behind him. He went to tap at the security panel, and I grabbed Saylor’s mom as she tried to run past me to the bedrooms.
“Whoa. She’s not ready to see you just yet. We’re going to wait for her in the living room.”
“Oh, I don’t know who you think you are, but nobody is going to get between me and my daughter.”
I kept my grip on her arm and turned to the security guard. “What’s your name?”
The enormous man shifted his weight as he crossed his massive arms across his equally large chest. “Lucas, sir.”
“Nice to meet you, Lucas.” I looked down at Saylor’s mom. “I think me and Lucas have a difference of opinion about how you think this is going to go down. You are here at Saylor’s invitation. If it were up to me, I’d a left you on the curb outside with thepaparazzi trash. So you’ll sit in the living room and wait for your daughter to put herself together. And maybe you and me will have a little chat, just the two of us while we wait.”
Her lip lifted in a snarl, and she glared at me before stomping across the room to collapse onto the sofa with a huff.
“Charming,” I muttered to Lucas.
“Oh you have no idea, sir,” Lucas murmured sardonically back.
I choked back my laughter and made a mental note to get him on regular rotation around here. He was clearly good people.
I followed behind at a slower pace and took a seat on the oversized chair opposite her. “So let’s talk.”
“I have nothing to say to you. I’m here to see my daughter.”
“Fine, then I’ll talk.” I sat forward and stared her down. “When Saylor comes out here, there will be no victim blaming. What happened yesterday is not on Saylor. I don’t want to hear any ‘poor Trent’ bullshit from you. And the second Saylor gets distressed, you’re out of here. I’ll give Lucas over there the nod, and he’ll drag you out by your hair if need be.”
“You’re disgusting. You can’t treat me this way. I’m her mother.”
“I don’t give a shit if you’re an amputee or a cancer survivor or her twin fucking sister. If you hurt Saylor, you’re gone. End of discussion.”
She huffed again as she turned away from me, hugging her arms.
But she also didn’t protest again.
* * *
Saylor
A tap came again at the bathroom door, and I laughed at Mal’s ridiculousness.
“Come in!” I yelled around the toothbrush in my mouth.
But it was Paige who ducked inside and not my husband. “Hey, I heard you needed some supplies.” She passed a few tampons and some pads across the countertop. “That’s all I have with me since it’s not my time of the month.”
“Thanks,” I mumbled before spitting and rinsing my mouth.
“I heard the Wicked Witch is here. Did she come alone or is her monkey enroute?”
I sighed. “You sound like Mal. More creative, but he hasn’t met her yet.”
“Your husband is awesome, by the way. Like I haven’t already told you that. He won’t let me order your tampons—he wants to do it himself. So sweet!”
I grinned even as I hustled around her to grab some clean clothes from the closet. To be fair, I kinda led him in that direction. I’d learned a very important lesson yesterday at the hospital: give him a task to make him feel in control. I just hadn’t expected Mal to run with it. Although he wasn’t the type to get twitchy about anything body related, so I should’ve known better.
“Do you want backup out there, or do you want to me to stay clear?” Paige asked from the doorway as she watched me get dressed.
“I think Mal and I can handle it.”
“Don’t forget the security guy.”
