Page 176 of Little Sunshine

Until then.

“You need to leave.” His hand went to his taser. “Now.”

Her pinched face twisted, and I just knew she was building up to a loud fit. Like a tea kettle about to scream.

“It’s okay, Elliot,” I said, hoping to get whatever drama over with quickly so I could go get my cheeseburger. “She’s my mom.”

He looked between us disbelievingly, and I could’ve kissed his cheek for that compliment.

Except for the fact Ash would’ve undoubtedly sliced the skin right off his face.

“I promise she’s not a threat,” I tacked on when he still hesitated.

Not one to my physical well-being, at least.

He didn’t grab his taser, but he did pull his phone out, likely to check in with Ash.

Since that was fine by me, I turned my focus to my mother. “What’s?—”

Before I could finish, she gripped my upper arm in the tight way she used to when I did something wrong as a kid.

If she leaves bruises, Elliot’s taser will be the least of her worries.

She tried to pull me down the hall, but I dug my heels in and dislodged my arm before she could.

Her frantic gaze darted around, and she kept her voice low. Like she was trying to hide from someone. “I need money.”

Oh. Wow. I am shocked. Someone alert Ripley’s Believe It or Not to this groundbreaking revelation.

“Try your luck at Keno,” I said coldly.

“Camila, I’m serious.”

When Ash called me by my name, it usually meant he was saying something extra important. Since that almost always meant he was being sexy, bossy, or sexily bossy, I loved hearing it in his gravelly voice.

Hearing it from Veronica was wrong. She may have given me the name, but it wasn’t hers to use anymore.

“And I’m just as serious,” I said. “I’m not giving you money.”

Elliot came closer, but I held a hand out to stop him. The sooner she spewed whatever vitriol she needed, the sooner she’d leave.

In that moment, as I looked at the woman I barely knew, I finally felt ready to sever that connection. I was no longer desperate enough to cling to family just because we shared some blood. I no longer feared I’d be alone. It wasn’t a possibility.

I had Ash.

“Fine.” Veronica sighed like I’d done something egregious. “Buy me a plane ticket. I don’t care where, I just need to get away. Vegas isn’t safe for me.”

My eyes narrowed. “What did you get into?”

She looked over her shoulder again. “I don’t need much. Enough to get by for a while. Maybe a buffer.”

Oh my God, she’s begging for money and still trying to negotiate for more.

“I don’t have any,” I said honestly. I’d reordered my debit card and ID. Though I hadn’t noticed until it’d come in the mail that Ash had switched my address to his.

It was just as well. He, Cole, and Marco had already cleared my old apartment out.

Even though I had my own card and one of Ash’s, I never carried them. I never had to.

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