Page 152 of Loved

“Robert.”

Rob laughed. “I like when you call me that. It’s kinky as fuck.”

Penny sighed and focused on me again. “I don’t care if you have more experience fighting than Mason. He’s built like a football player. Stop hitting people. Period.”

“Okay,” I said.

She grabbed the icepack out of my hand and put it back on my eye. “Promise me,” she said.

“I promise, baby.”

Her face finally cracked in a smile. I knew how much she liked when I called her that.

“Come here,” I said and tried to pull her onto my lap.

“No,” she said and swatted my hand away. “You two are both in trouble. I want you to sit here and silently think about what you’ve done.”

“You’re taking this mom thing too far,” Rob said. “It’s a fine line between sexy and demeaning.”

“Phones,” Penny said and held out her hand.

“Seriously? You’re taking our phones?” Rob asked.

She kept her hand out.

“Gah. Fine.” Rob handed her his phone and I did the same.

Penny got up off the couch and walked up the stairs to our bedroom.

“I really like her,” Rob said and leaned back on the couch. “You’ve got a keeper there.”

“I know.” I kept my eyes trained on Penny until she disappeared into our bedroom and closed the door.

“My back hurts a bit. I think Matt karate chopped me or some weird shit. Do you think Penny can give me a massage?”

“Don’t push it.”

The elevators dinged and Ian walked in. He must have known Penny was out of the room.

“The front desk said this was delivered while we were out.” He handed me an envelope that looked like the others.

I tore it open and read the note inside:

Hello Darling,

I hope you enjoyed the last gift you’ll ever receive from me. The truth that you and all your friends all desperately needed to hear. Just facts. Hope I didn’t cause a riff. Enjoy the rest of your terrible life without me.

XOXO,

Isabella Hunter

“I don’t love how she signed her name,” Rob said. “Is she seriously not changing her last name back to Pruitt?”

“Psycho,” Ian said.

I didn’t really care about that. I was fixated on the fact that she said enjoy the rest of my terrible life without her. I thought her parting gift was leaking all that fake shit to the news. But if she was telling me goodbye now? I’d take it.

Isabella was officially out of my life.

---