Page 95 of Violent Little Thing

Court wanted nothing to do with them, which was understandable.

However, what I hadn’t expected was to be out at dinner with my parents, Beau, Magnolia, Magnolia’s daughter Iris, Lysander and his son, and Missy and Zee walk in.

Court had tensed, ready for a confrontation, but none had come.

Zee and Missy had gone to sit all the way across the room.

Meanwhile, Court was able to relax and get back into the conversation.

That was, until Court’s parents walked in.

What they did not do was give him the space that he needed and asked for on a continuous basis.

They walked right up to Court and demanded that he talk to them.

Court ignored them, allowing me to take the lead and ask them to leave.

Then his mother called me a bitch, and Court stood up like I’d just been assaulted.

“Do not.” He pointed at her. “I repeat, do not, come anywhere near me and insult the woman that I love. She has done nothing wrong. She’s supporting me, defending me, and protecting me. Three things that you obviously have no idea how to do.”

His mother’s mouth snapped shut.

“I just want to talk!”

“Rebecca…” Caryn started.

“Mom? Dad?”

Court stiffened impossibly further.

“Oh, great,” Court drawled. “The whole unwanted family. In the town that I moved to, eight states and three thousand miles away. How could this get any better?”

The two adults heading our way that looked exactly like Court must be his brother and sister, Jacklyn and Hudson.

“Mom, what’s going on?” Jacklyn asked, her eyes wide, as she stared at her brother.

“Mom was just interrupting my dinner, again. She can’t seem to understand the word no.” He paused. “Nor does she understand that I want nothing to do with y’all.”

Jacklyn looked affronted. Meanwhile, Hudson looked ready to fight.

“You can’t seriously mean that…” Hudson trailed off.

“All four of you,” Missy snapped. “Should be ashamed of yourselves. What are you doing here? He’s asked eight hundred gazillion times for you to leave him alone. I would know, because he’s gone out of his way to let them know, very publicly, what he wants.”

“Oh, and you’re any better?” Rebecca asked. “What are you doing here if not the same thing?”

“We’re here because my son needs care, and for some reason, the world’s best behavioralist lives here. He said he would help us if we stayed away from Court and Charleigh, which we have.”

“Oh, yeah.” Jacklyn rolled her eyes. “Keep blaming it on your kid.”

Zee stiffened.

“I have a psychopath for a son. What do I do? Who can I blame it on? What money can I pull out of daddy’s pocket to send my kid somewhere where he won’t have to deal with the consequences of our actions?” Jacklyn mocked, raising her voice to sound almost childlike.

I looked at Court, who shook his head.

“I have no idea,” he whispered under his breath.