Page 149 of Wild Embers
My mouth hangs open, unsure how to respond.
Mama pivots in her chair to face me. “Don’t look at me like that.”
“Mama, if you would’ve told me, I could have?—”
“You’re one to talk,” she snaps.
My brows wrinkle together. “What?”
Mama sits up straight in her seat. “Whoring around now?”
I flinch as if she just slapped me.
“Watch your mouth, Lor,” Santiago warns.
“Blake is my daughter, and I’ll speak to her however I please,” she sneers at him. “Answer the damn question.”
I shake my head. “No, I’m not.”
“Rumor has it you went home with Santiago last week, then fucked Levi in the bathroom at the Timberline the other night.”
I cross my arms. “Who I sleep with is none of your business.”
“It’s my business when your choices reflect poorly on our family,” she snaps.
My eyes widen as I point at my chest. “My choices? What about yours?”
“Don’t you take that tone with me.” Mama narrows her gaze.
I throw my hands up, done with this hypocritical nonsense. “You’re a goddamn alcoholic, and you’re worried aboutmychoices.”
Mama looks down her nose at me. “I’m allowed to have a drink or two with dinner.”
I scoff. “More like a drink or two every ten minutes.”
Mama gets to her feet to face me. “I’m not the one sleeping with your daddy’s friends. Have a little integrity, Blake.”
“Lor,” Levi barks.
Mama turns to Levi. “She’s been whoring since she was a little girl. Did you know that?”
A pit opens up in my stomach, and I struggle to breathe.
“Mama…D—did you know?”
“Of course, I knew. I know how you seduced him. How you told him you’d lie to the police about it if he didn’t do what you wanted.” Mama looks me up and down with contempt.
My voice hollows. “I was a little girl.”
“A little manipulative bitch,” Mama snaps. “Landon was so disgusted with himself, with what he had done,” she turns back to Walker, gesturing to me, “what sheforcedhim to do, that he ended his life early.”
“I—I didn’t…” I shake my head, struggling to swallow it all. “When did you know?”
Mama’s glower punctures a hole in my chest. “I found his journal after he died. He wrote about the whole thing.”
Santiago steps between Mama and me. “You don’t know what you’re talking about, Loretta. That’s enough.”
Mama makes for the door to leave, shooting me one last repulsed. “You disgust me.”
