Page 109 of Out of Control

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

Sofia

“Oh, darling, so lovely to see you.” I freeze at the sound of my mother. At the slur to her voice. At the way she floats into the Gravitas sponsor party like she’s never been gone. At the way my stomach flips.

I unclench my jaw. “Hello, Mamá.”

“You missed me. I can tell.” She smacks a loud kiss on both my cheeks as I glance over to where Cruz is entertaining the sponsors, as is his job to do. Thank God she hasn’t spotted him yet.

“Yes,” I say softly. “Why don’t we step over here?”

“Why? I didn’t come here to be a shrinking violet in the corner. I’m a goddamn thing of beauty.”

Too bad you’re not that weird flower who only blooms once a year.

I cringe and try to tug her to the outskirts of the party before she makes the scene she’s bound to make. She’s never refrained before. She then plucks a martini off a passing tray.

“Mamá. I think you’ve had enough.”

“Of course. Of course I’ve had enough. That’s all you ever say while you’re busy fucking your way through the driver circuit,” she says loudly and earns multiple head turns. “Is he here? Can I rate him? You know your father was a lousy lay—”

“Mamá,” I bark as gasps and muffled laughs litter the space around us.

“What?” She waves a hand. “Why hide the truth?”

“Mrs. Navarro.” Rossi’s voice breaks through the roaring in my head. I swallow back the tears and terror that suddenly own me.

No.

He can’t see this.

He can’t know this.

He . . . “Please go,” I say to him.

“Well, aren’t you a tall drink of water. Sexy. I’ve seen you from afar but hmm, never had the chance to appreciate you up close and personal.” She runs a finger down his chest as she tries to concentrate through the alcohol. “You should fuck this one, Sofy,” she calls over her shoulder before turning back to Rossi and rubbing her breasts against his chest. “And if you don’t, I might want a crack at him.” She throws her head back and cackles.

I’m absolutely mortified. Why? Why tonight? Just when my life’s starting to become my own am I reminded handily that it’s not. That my duty is her and everyone else that I don’t want to be responsible for anymore.

And yet duty calls. It’s ingrained in me like the blood that runs through my veins.

Rossi meets my eyes. He looks helpless. Confused. In disbelief. And I plead with him to just go. To just leave. To please do as I ask.

He physically steps back and removes her hands from his chest. “Why don’t we take a step outside?” he asks as he leads her toward the exit.

With my head down, I follow behind them, humiliated but grateful that she’s listening. That more damage hasn’t been done . . . yet.

My mother hit on my boyfriend.

My boyfriend now knows the truth about how horrid she is.

I just want to crawl in a hole and die.

But I can’t because I’m watching Rossi open the door and, the only thing I need is her to follow him as he ushers us through it. And the minute we are, he turns to me. “Sof—”

“Please. Don’t. Just . . . go. I need you to go.”

“Let me go get some water for her.”