Page 69 of Promised To A Menace

I stared down at the comforter covering my legs.

I didn't know what the hell to tell her. There were things about being here that I liked, and I wasn't about to sit up here and pretend Cassian hadn't started growing on me a little. But that didn't mean I was happy with everything that had happened.

Hell, I hadn't even had a say in coming here in the first place.

“Mama, I'm just trying to figure everything out right now.”

She was quiet for a moment before answering.

“I understand, baby.”

I swallowed and decided to change the subject. “How you and Daddy doing?”

I already had a pretty good idea after talking to Lha'Kayla, but I wanted to hear it from my mama.

“Shakaylen, I don't wanna talk about that man.”

“Damn, Mommie.”

“No, damn nothing. I've been married to your father for years, and I never would've thought he'd do something like this to one of our children.”

The anger in her voice was enough to tell me Lha'Kayla hadn't been exaggerating about how things were going at home.

“He stood there and let you walk into that place knowing what was waiting for you. Then he had the nerve to come home acting like I was supposed to understand.”

My stomach tightened.

“What did he tell you?”

“Everything. Or at least what he claims is everything.”

I rubbed my forehead. “Did he tell you why he never said anything?”

“He said he was scared. Scared of what would happen if he broke that agreement.”

I shook my head even though she couldn't see me.

“He had twenty-five years, Mama.”

“I know, baby.”

“Twenty-five years to figure something out, and he didn't do shit.”

My eyes started burning, and I blinked a few times, trying to keep myself from crying.

“I trusted him.”

“I know you did.”

“That was my daddy, Mama.”

“I know, sweetheart.”

I pressed my lips together and looked up at the ceiling. I didn't want to cry on the phone with her, especially when I knew she was already dealing with enough.

But damn, this shit hurt.

As pissed off as I was with my father, I still loved him. That was what made everything so fucked up. I couldn't understand how the same man who'd spent my whole life making sure I had everything I needed could turn around and do something like this to me.