Page 111 of Riot

She rounds the corner and I smile tentatively. Of course, my mom looks like she just stepped off the cover of a magazine. She’s wearing a plain, white blouse with a string of pearls and a tweed style Chanel jacket with camel colored pants. She has a full face of makeup, and I can tell her hair has been freshly styled. My mom’s elegant, there’s nothing wrong with that, but I just know somehow my attire of a matching hoodie and sweatpants won’t go down well.

She embraces me, and I’ve no doubt she’s already looking over my shoulder at Riot, and that’s when Cookie barks.

Mom jumps back, “Oh, goodness, is that a dog?”

I roll my lips. “Oops, sorry, Mom. I forgot to tell you that we couldn’t leave our rescue, Cookie. He’s got a broken leg and he’d only get distressed if we disappear for a few days.”

She frowns. Mom isn’t a dog person. She has horses, but even then, she doesn’t ride much these days. It’s more for show.

“And you must be…”

“Myles.” Riot sticks his hand out to shake my mom’s. She looks down at it like he just asked her to swallow poison. I find amusement when she’s forced to remember her southern manners and finally they shake.

“Geneveive,” she replies coolly. Her eyes flick down to the dirty patch on Riot’s cut. He wanted to take it off for the visit but I insisted that he keep it on. This is a part of him and why should he have to change? “Why does that patch say, Riot?”

“Oh, that’s my biker name.”

“Riot?” she says it again.

“Yep.”

I clear my throat. “So, Mom. Where’s Dad?”

“He’s resting in his room.” Her eyes are still on Riot. It’s as if she thinks he’s about to make off with the family silver and she’d better keep watch on him or something.

It irks me that she’s so judgy. “Would you like to see him?”

I nod. “I would love that, please. How has he been?”

“Frankly, Daddy hasn’t been the same since you left. This whole misunderstanding has had him in a bind for months.”

“Well, you probably shouldn't have tried to force Ian on me then, Mom. Trust works both ways.”

“You know how happy it would’ve made your father to see you and Ian together. He’s always been fond of him.”

“He’s an ass,” I blurt out. “You know he wasn’t kind to me when we dated.”

Oh, she knows. Mom has always been on me to lose weight, too. It isn’t as if I’m an obese whale who can’t leave the house or breathe without apparatus. I work out. I go to the gym. I eat pretty healthy. This is just how I am, and I’m not going to feel bad about it because I didn’t fit Ian’s — or their — ideals.

“He’s set in his ways, like Daddy is.” Her eye flick to Riot and I want to die. She doesn’t like him, I can tell right away. He wore a long-sleeved shirt to hide some of his tattoos, but you can still see some of them peeking through around his neck. I think he looks hot. Mom clearly doesn’t share that same sentiment.

“Right, so that gives him the excuse to be rude and tell me I need to lose weight because he wouldn’t screw me until I lost thirty pounds.”

“Lourdes!” Mom’s cheeks flush with embarrassment.

Shit. I didn’t come here to fight with her, but she’s making this so damn difficult. Acting as if Ian is the saint of the year. It’s disgusting.

“I’m sorry if that offends you, Mom, but that’s what he told me. Now, I’d like to see Dad, please.”

“I’ll wait out here with Cookie.” Riot offers me a soft smile and my heart melts.

“That would be best. I’m not sure if Rowley is up for surprise visitors at the moment,” Mom says, turning toward my parents' wing.

I peck Riot quickly on the lips. “Just hang out here.” I sweep my arm over to the huge lounge. “I’ll see Dad and then we’ll go get some lunch.”

He kisses me back. “Sounds good. Just remember, your mom cares about you, no matter what you think. I can understand from her point of view that in her eyes I’m some low-life biker. Don’t be so hard on her.”

I stare at him. “Seriously?”

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