Page 68 of Promised To A Menace

But that didn't change the fact that I missed my own shit. My house, my bed, and being able to come and go without somebody keeping tabs on my every move. I was grateful Cassian had let me return to work, but I still wasn't living the way I wanted to.

Once I made it upstairs, I went straight to my room and got comfortable. I climbed into bed, grabbed my phone, and scrolled through my contacts until I found my mama's name.

I'd been putting this call off long enough.

She answered before the second ring.

“Shakaylen?”

“Hey, Mommie.”

“Girl, where in the world have you been?”

I closed my eyes as soon as I heard her voice. I wanted to cry so damn bad, but I held it together. The last thing I needed was for my mama to hear me breaking down, start asking a hundred questions, and end up trying to come over here herself.

“Mama, I'm okay.”

“That ain't what I asked you. I've been calling your phone, and every time I called, it went straight to voicemail. Your sister kept telling me you were fine, but I needed to hear that from you.”

“I know, and I'm sorry.”

“Sorry? Baby, do you know how worried I've been?”

Hearing how upset she was made me feel worse. I'd been so caught up in everything going on over here that I hadn't really thought about what my mama was going through, too.

“I know, Mama.”

“Are you alright? And don't tell me what you think I wanna hear.”

I shifted against my pillows and glanced toward the bedroom door.

“I'm alright for the most part.”

“For the most part?”

“Mama.”

“No, don't Mama me. I wanna know what's going on with you.”

I sighed and adjusted the phone against my ear. I should've known this wasn't going to be no quick little conversation.

“I'm staying at Cassian's house. He's been making sure I'm safe, and I've been going to work.”

“Your sister told me she went over there tonight.”

“Yeah. I invited her for dinner.”

“She said you looked good.”

I smiled a little. “I do look good.”

“Girl, you know what I mean.”

“I know.”

Neither one of us said anything for a few seconds. I thought she was about to ask me something else about Cassian, but instead, she caught me off guard with a question I wasn't ready to answer.

“Baby, are you happy?”