Page 135 of Mercy (The Sins Trilogy 3)
If I tell myself that repeatedly, then it really won’t bother me anymore.
“You only invited me and Ivy to get the recording,” I say.
“And what if I did?” Mother sneers.
Her eyes on Mother, Ivy shakes me off. I reach for her, needing her close to me and away from Mother’s toxic presence. But she walks past empty chairs, her head held high, moving toward Mother.
Contempt etched on her face, Mother glares at Ivy, as though everything’s her fault. One eyebrow is haughtily arched, a queen silently censuring an impertinent serf who’s forgotten her place. And then Ivy slaps Mother hard enough to snap her head around.
“I don’t care if you hate me, because you’re not my mother. But how dare you say that about Tony?”
Mother stares at Ivy. Her cheek’s already bright red and slightly swollen.
I’m staring too. This is the last thing I thought Ivy would do, but if she was going to lash out, I expected it to be when Mother pretended to be innocent of involvement in the accident on the highway. Not over the loathsome things she said about me.
“You’re a despicable person and unfit to be a mother to anyone, much less an impressionable child. And don’t you think for a moment I’ve forgotten about your role in stealing nine years of my life. My memories. Karma does exist, you psychotic bitch. Every time you make someone’s heart bleed, yours will bleed tenfold.” Ivy walks back and takes my hand. “Let’s get out of here.”
We march out together.
