Her words roll off me, but they won’t do that for Hannah. Not when she’s spent the last few years recovering from the vitriol this woman spits.
I glance over my shoulder, where I find Asher murmuring to Hannah quietly. Her body is locked up tight, but she’s holdingonto him just as tightly as he is to her, allowing some of the tension in my body to fall away.
She’s not running.
She’s not jumping into action to do as she’s told the way Marianne expects her to.
“Hannah doesn’t want to go with you,” I growl. “She hasn’t seen you inyears, and even when she saw you before that, all you did was belittle her and remind her of her shortcomings.”
“You can’t speak for her!”
“Watch me.” I step forward, crowding her until she takes a step back. She’s still too close to Hannah, far closer than any of us would like her to be, but another few feet gives my girl a bit more breathing room.
A small hand wraps around my elbow, pulling me back to stand beside her, and my chest tightens when her fingers tremble against my skin.
I fucking hate this. I hate that she has to feel a second of fear or discomfort.
“Mom,” Hannah says firmly, her voice strong despite how heightened she is. “I won’t be leaving with you today, or ever. I’m happy here, and that’s something you and Granddad are going to have to get over.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” She rolls her eyes exasperatedly. “I know what’s best for you. I’m your mother.”
“No, I’m an adult. You stopped having any right to anything I do when I turned eighteen and moved out of your house. I haven’t taken a cent from anyone with the Malone last name since that day, meaning I owe you nothing.”
I’ve always been in awe of her strength, but fuck. I’m ready to drop to my knees and worship her right now.
Marianne’s eyes flare with annoyance as they flick between the three of us. Asher has come to stand behind Hannah, hishands on her hips, providing support without ever saying a word.
“This is sick,” she spits, turning her venom toward me. “You’re twice her age. And to share her with your son? She was your stepdaughter, for god’s sake! It’s disgusting.”
I sigh, brushing my hand down my face. This fucking woman. “I didn’t meet Hannah until she was over eighteen,” I remind her. “We never lived in a house together, and she never saw me as a father figure, so you can go ahead and take that out of your arsenal. And the structure of our relationship really isn’t any of your business.”
“Not my business?” she screeches, causing each of us to flinch at the sound. Jesus, I must have repressed that sound from our marriage because otherwise it would be haunting my nightmares. “How do you think it’s going to look when the press gets hold of this? You think they’re going to be accepting of Hannah’s stepbrother and stepfather defiling her? Or do you think they’re going to drag us all through the mud at every opportunity?”
“Hard to believe they could write anything worse about you than they already have,” Asher mutters, causing a surprised laugh to escape Hannah.
Marianne cuts him with a glare that hides none of her distaste. “Get your hands off my daughter.”
“No,” he replies simply, tugging Hannah back against him to prove a point, and she goes willingly.
As scared as I am to lose Hannah, I’m confident she won’t walk out the door with Marianne, which allows me to relax slightly.
Taking her hand in mine, I give it a reassuring squeeze, hoping it will give her the strength to stand up to the woman who has brought her nothing but misery.
CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT
HANNAH
Just being in the same room as Marianne Malone makes my skin crawl, and a dozen insecurities I’ve worked hard to overcome rise to the surface.
“I’m not leaving with you, Mom,” I say firmly. “You are not welcome here, so I suggest you say what you came to say and then get out.”
The strength in my voice surprises me, but maybe it shouldn’t. Not when I have both my men holding onto me, giving me constant reassurance without having to utter a word.
“Young lady, you will do as you’re told.”
“No, I will not. If you have nothing else to say, please leave so we can get back to our night.” I gesture toward the way she came in.
I still have no idea how she got through the gate, but I have a feeling Rowan will be making sure nothing like this can happen again the second she’s off the property.
