Page 121 of Losing Faith

“I will make an orphan of your daughter if you’re laughing at me right now, Jackson Jones,” she bites out and I quickly shut up before she turns to me, a fierce look in her eyes. “That’s what I thought.”

A smile creeps onto my face. “I thought you didn’t care what she thought about you?”

“I never said I didn’t care if she heard memoaningwith your tongue down my throat like a whore,” she whisper-shouts, hitting my bicep.

My smile disappears at her words. “Don’t call yourself that,” I tell her sternly. “She caught us kissing, not having an orgy, and if she had, you’re still not a whore. Do not let me hear you say that again.”

She rolls her eyes at me, cheeks still blushed. “Do not let me hear you say that again,” she mocks. “You’re such a dad.”

She glances over my shoulder, shaking her head at herself.

With a smile, I rest a light hand on her waist before leaning over to kiss the mortified look off her face. “It’s fine,” I reassure her. “She’s not going to bring it up. She just likes bugging me. She doesn’t think any less of you, sweetheart.”

“Stop touching me.” She shoves my arm away, completely ignoring my words. “And no more kisses. Anddo notcall me sweetheart in front of her.”

A smirk grows on my face because earlier I had to drop the pet name altogether, but now I just can’t use it in front of my mother.A win is a win.

I cup her face in both hands and kiss her all over her face. She laughs as she tries to push me away, but I keep her in my grasp as I plant a handful of rapid kisses on her lips.

“Feel better?”

“No,” she whispers again, burying her flushed face in my chest.

With a low laugh, I cradle her head with one hand and wrap the other around her waist while she keeps her hands draped at her side. “You’re just as dramatic as Belle.”

I kiss the top of her head and she looks up at me with a glare.

“You’re so beautiful.” My voice deepens to a low whisper. I tuck a long hair behind her ear, a smile tugging at my lips.

“Stop looking at me like that.” Her cheeks blush again and I never thought I’d see the day where nonchalant, carefree Lisette isflustered.

“Like what?”

“Like youlikeme,” she says in something close to disgust.

“That’s crazy. It’s almost like I already told you I love—”

“Shh.” She swiftly cuts me off while taking a step back and the disappointment seeps into me. I choose not to push her and take a step back to stop myself from kissing her again.

“I’ll meet you in there in a minute,” she mumbles and I nod in return as I slip back into the dining room, forcing a smile. “We should eat now,” I announce and my parents look up from their thankful turkeys to agree.

I head into the kitchen and when I hear light footsteps behind me, I know it’s my mom before she steps beside me to help serve the plates. “So,” she starts and I fight not to let out a sigh. I don’t bother asking why she didn’t use the bathroom she caught us in, knowing she went looking for us.

“She’s beautiful,” she comments and I know she isn’t talking about her granddaughter.

“Yeah, she is.” I keep my eyes on the pot of rice and gandules as I serve Belle’s plate.

“How long have you two been seeing each other?” She keeps her tone neutral.

“We’re notreallytogether, Mom,” I tell her once again, honestly not knowing where I stand with Lisette.

She sets her plate down as she turns to me and leans against the counter. “So you’re just sneaking off to bathrooms with her?” She bites back a smile.

“Actually, yes.” I find myself confessing. “It’s complicated right now. Her life is complicated.”

I see the playfulness leave my mom’s face as she realizes I’m not just saying we’re not together to cover up the fact that we’re together.

“Yeah, it seems complicated,” she whispers now. “There are a lot of scars on her leg.”

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