Page 77 of Blood Taken (Blood Mafia 2)
"We went on this amazing cruise, you should have seen the sunsets, ladybug. It was perfect." My dad sighs and clears his throat. "Now that boy who called us, he's a good one? I'm not there to give him the rifle lecture, but I can show him my gun when I get back. He kept you from calling us for a few weeks, so I think he at least deserves a foot in the ass."
Mateo lets out an offended scoff, and I smack his arm to shut him up.
"No, Dad, he's all right. How are you guys doing? I miss you." It takes all of my will power to keep my voice from cracking. I'm used to them being gone, especially since I started college, but damn it hurts to hear them so unaffected by my absence.
I guess aside from Lexi talking to them, they wouldn't know where I was.
There's noise from their side, a thudding and crackling. "Demi!" my mom says, out of breath from wrestling the phone away from Dad. "We miss you too, sweetie. I was telling your father it's so nice you found someone aside from that damned dog. Good riddance to him. Besides, what happens if he gets fleas? You can hardly spray him now, can you?" She laughs, getting a kick out of her own joke.
"Haha, Mom."
She snorts at my lack of enthusiasm, then grows serious. "When am I going to have grandbabies? You know I've never pressured you to have kids before, but that Mateo fellow told me all about the businesses he owns. A businessman," she says in a hushed whisper. "Talk about a catch. You know when I met your Dad—"
There's another thud as she cuts off.
"Listen here, you tell that boy no sex until marriage."
"Robert, shhh. He's there with her. You're going to scare him."
My dad grunts. "Well good, Irene. He should know what he's getting into because if he leaves my little girl knocked up and crying, I'll hunt him down and make him wish he'd never been born."
Mateo covers his mouth. His shoulders are shaking with laughter. I pinch my eyes closed and count to ten. This is by far the most embarrassing moment of my life. They have no idea who Mateo is, and if they did, they wouldn't be talking about babies or extramarital sex.
"Give me the phone back," my mom says.
"No, Irene, I'm not done—umph."
"Demi?" Mom's voice is louder now, she must have hit him to get the device away from him. "Is he listening? Tell him I'm so sorry for your father's behavior and when we get back to San Francisco next week, he's welcome at our dinner table anytime."
"Great, thanks, Mom. Listen, I have to go but I love you guys and I really miss you."
"Aw, baby. I miss you too, hon. Listen, when I get back we can go for pedicures like old times, does that sound good?"
My mother, ladies and gentlemen. Pedicures can fix everything.
"Sure," I say, voice growing tight as my throat closes and tears fill my eyes. What I wouldn't give to hug them right now. To be in the arms of someone who doesn't want anything, have ulterior motives, or mean me harm would be amazing. "I love you."
She and Dad chorus back, "I love you," before disconnecting.
I drop my hand, clutching the phone against my thigh. My eyes are still watery and I blink a few times to beat the tears back.
Mateo's fingers brush over my arm. "I was hoping you'd enjoy the phone call. I didn't mean to make you sad."
Sniffing, I shake my head. "I'm fine. I miss them is all." I meet those dark brown eyes. "Thank you, Mateo."
He nods and smiles. "Anything for my girlfriend."
"You had to ruin the moment, didn't you?" I ask, rolling my eyes but thankful he didn't make it awkward.
For an immortal vampire that kidnapped me, he's not so bad. You know, if you can look past everything that's happened this last month.
"We should go, our company doesn't like waiting," Mateo grabs my arm and opens the door, dragging me out with him like I'm some sort of rag doll.
I take back everything I just thought.
He's an asshole.
Chapter Twenty-Three
