Page 91 of When Sinners Hate

“At least I’m not an actual fucking whore!”

I take a long draw on the cigarette as I turn for the door.

“MOTHER!” Mariana cuts across the noise. “Get the hell off her!” The sound quietens before I make it inside, so I wait again, trying to let them sort this on their own without me.

“How dare you touch me!” Mother snaps. “Get off, Mariana. This has nothing to do with you. You’re as fucking stupid as she is.”

“When you’re intent on belittling something Abel loves, you’re damn right it has something to do with me. Leave her and calm down.”

“Perhaps if you weren’t such a fucking witch, you’d have some manners,” Lexi snarls. “Push me anymore and this is going to get real fucking nasty, Melena!”

“Stop, Lexi,” Mariana tries. “Leave it now.”

“I will not be spoken to like I’m nothing. Especially from an old whore who should know better than to try baiting me!” My mouth tips up. There's my wife’s nature shining.

“WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!” Dante’s voice shouts.

Everyone goes quiet for a second or two.

“Maybe we can all calm down and–” Wren’s voice tries.

“And you’re fucking useless, too. Get out of my house!”

“You better close that damn mouth before it gets you in trouble,” Dante mutters.

Another slap rings out loud and clear in the room.

Mariana shrieks this time. “MOTHER!” she shouts. “What the fuck is wrong with you? I’m done with you hitting me!” Dante’s back is coming out of the door before the question is even finished, his hands towing Mother with him until he turns and shoves her onto the same deck I’m standing on.

“Get a fucking grip of yourself!” he snaps.

“She’s the fucking problem! They all are,” she spits back. “I will not have another woman in my house thinking she runs my businesses!”

I stare as she starts ranting off in Spanish at him. She’s halfway through her tirade about pathetic women and the problems that brings, cursing Dante and everything he is at the same time, when she finally notices me. Her mouth stops as I blow a fuck load of smoke out. She immediately stiffens and tries gathering her temper back in to act hurt and fragile. It’s pretty pointless, given that I’ve just heard everything she’s said.

“Abel,” she starts, taking a small step towards me.

I glare. She stops.

Dante turns to look at me, fury heavy in his features about that slap she just sent Mariana’s way and her trying to eviscerate Wren. My foot crushes the last of the cigarette down, and I push off the wall to look into the room. Lexi’s pacing, glaring at anything she can, and Mariana’s just standing there as if biding her time.

“Lexi, let me look at your face,” Wren offers. She turns, showing the three scratch marks embedded in her skin. What was mild irritation turns damn offensive inside me.

I swing back to look at Mother, hardening my glare and thoughts. “Lexi’s business is just that. Hers. You’d do well to apologise and try making amends.” She looks instantly affronted, all rage and ire sending her straight back where she was before she thought she could use me to help her. “You’d also do well to remember who my father was. I’m only an inch awayfrom his kind of evil. Don’t make me treat you like he did.” She strides at me without words, raising a hand to try slapping some manners back into me. I catch it before she manages, twisting her wrist to force her downwards. She whimpers then. Her knees hit the deck and she whimpers and moans her distress. I’m damn close to causing more of it, considering the scratch marks on my wife’s face.

“Abel, please,” she says, quietly. I sneer and keep staring. “I’m your mother.” Hmm. “Dante, help me!” she shouts. There’s no movement behind me.

“Apologise,” I say. “Now.” That fucking goads her into hatred again. She tries turning out of my hold and getting to her feet, so I do cause her more pain. It’s enough that she ends up fully on the ground with me crouching at her side to keep her face down there.

“Brother?” Dante questions.

His hand touches my shoulder as if ready to draw me away.

“Get the fuck off me.” I can’t see anything other than reasons for this witch of a mother to understand her new place under me. “Lexi, get here.”

Her heels move, and then something sends me sideways.

Crashing against the railings, I roll and get myself straight back up to deal with whatever the hell that was. Knox is in my face instantly, two hands on my lapels and his head aimed at mine. I rebound off it, as it hits me in the forehead, and then shake the feeling off to go at him for fucking daring. He’s all front and aggravation in front of me, a hard sneer of his own levelled back at me.

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