Page 66 of Rough Ride with the Grumpy Cowboy
My eyes dart around in fear, looking for help, but I quickly realize that I’m all alone here with a bunch of kids who might now be in danger because of me. Everything in me is telling me to run for my life just like I did last time, but for some reason, my feet are frozen in place.
“Didn’t I tell you that this demeaning job was beneath you?” she screeches as soon as she gets to me.
She looks livid to see me teaching this class as if I didn’t have teachers once upon a time.
Since my body has decided we’re not going anywhere, I might as well stand up for myself. I’ve never had the chance to do that before—I’ve always run from them—but now I don’t want to anymore. Plus, now that I know the whole truth about what happened with Zane, it’s easier to confront her.
“It’s not up to you what I can and can’t do. You don’t call the shots in my life anymore, remember,” I decree, trying to sound more confident than I feel.
“When will you stop being so insolent and come back home? This rebellious phase of yours has gone on long enough,” she scolds.
I scoff and nearly break out in laughter, but I hold back, not wanting to escalate the situation.
“Please leave, Mother. You and I have no business together, and you’re scaring the kids,” I request as politely as I can.
“I am not leaving this place unless you are coming with me. I made you—you are Ava freaking Noa because I poured my blood, sweat, and tears into building your career, and I will be damned if you cut me off because you’re throwing a tantrum,” she yells, her voice getting louder and louder.
The more she speaks, the more I realize that it’s impossible to have a rational conversation with her. She wants to do this here and now? Fine, we might as well get it over and done with.
“A tantrum? You think I cut you off because I’m throwing a tantrum? Estevan tried to r— take advantage of me, and you took his side!” I scream back, filtering my words since we have kids in the room.
My eyes dart to the door, and I find Estevan’s eyes on me, staring at me with a wolfish grin that leaves me feeling disgustingly dirty. I need to take a bleach shower after this.
“You’re still on that? He said you misread the situation,” she defends, using the same words she did then.
“Misread? Are you fu— freaking kidding me? Why do you keep taking his side?! I am your child, not him.”
Before she can reply, I keep at it. “That aside, how could you do that to me, Mom?”
She rolls her eyes, looking fed up with me, but I’m just getting started. “Do what?”
“Fuel my guilt to keep me away from Zane. He tried to reach out after the accident, but you barred him and made me think that he hated me and was going to sue us. You took advantage of my guilt.”
“I did that to protect you.”
I can’t stop the snicker that leaves my lips from her fake words. “Oh please, your intention wasn’t to protect me. You just wanted to imprison me and take advantage of me.”
“That man was never right for you. He didn’t even let me see you on your birthday,” she shrieks.
“What are you talking about?”
“I came to Iron Stallion on your birthday, and they didn’t let us in,” she informs me.
This is new information to me, but it makes sense now that I think about it. So that’s why Zane looked so pissed after disappearing that day?
“That was upon my request—I asked them to keep you away from me,” I defend.
She looks even more offended by my admission, but I don’t care. Thanks to Zane’s efforts, I was able to enjoy my birthday for the first time. He stood up for me, and now I’m going to follow his lead and not let my mother bully me ever again.
“This is the last time I’m going to ask this of you—stay away from me before I’m forced to file a restraining order against you,” I warn her.
“You’d do that to your own mother?” she gasps, looking hurt, clasping her hand over her chest.
“No, but I’d do it to the woman who keeps trying to ruin my life at every turn,” I retort.
She’s about to say more when the noise at the door gets louder. I turn just in time to see Zane putting Estevan in a headlock and dragging him away, his father chasing after them. Upon seeing this, my mother takes off as well, screaming at Zane to let go of her precious son. I roll my eyes, not even bothering to go see what Zane does with them. He can kill Estevan for all I care—one less vermin in the world.
Ella rushes into the room and pulls me in for a hug. “Are you okay?” she asks, pulling back briefly to examine me for any injuries.
