"Sis, give me some credit. I’m not stupid, and neither is my team. We know exactly where you get the information we ask for," Bas barked.
Peyton had never heard the tone of voice he was using on her before. It was almost as if he was mad that she didn’t just immediately agree to what he was asking, and it put her off a bit. Lost in her own thoughts, Peyton was surprised to hear his tone change again. This time he was softer, calmer.
" Please just think about it. I would like to see you more than just twice a year."
Bastian was saying all the right things, but he was also leaving a lot out, and Peyton didn’t like it. The one thing she counted on him for was honesty. Even though she was pretty sure he wasn’t lying to her, he was omitting a hell of a lot. Something had happened or was going on. She knew he would never out her without a good reason. That same foreboding, she felt on the porch was back, only this time tenfold. All the tiny hairs on her body were standing on end. Deciding to evade so she could do some digging, Peyton answered by saying the only thing she could think of.
"I will think about it, but Bastian, I really don’t believe that it is a good idea. What we have been doing has worked out well for all of us. Plus, I don’t know how much time I could devote to helping Ryleigh out right now. I just got done with the adoptions, so I need to concentrate on the next batch."
She hated lying to him, but what choice did she really have? She had been training a local, Cathy, to help train the next batch. The woman was ex-military, and her skills and commitment to the dogs mirrored Peyton’s. Maybe she had been unknowingly planning a move longer than she had thought.
"Any help you could give would be greatly appreciated right now, Peyton. Please, just think about it." With a little sarcasm in his voice, he then said, "What, don’t you miss me?”
"Low blow, brother dear. You know I miss you, Bastian, and I will think about it."
Peyton heard the dogs in the background. Zeus had given her the signal; three short barks. Someone was on the property. He would only give Peyton so much time before he confronted the stranger. Then she heard the banging at her door. Deciding it was best to let her brother go, she said," Hey, I have to let you go. Someone is at the door. How about we talk about this more next week?"
"Sounds good!" Bastian sighed.
He wasn’t happy with her response. Peyton was pretty sure he had expected her to jump on the bandwagon, but she was anything but impulsive. The fact that she felt like he was only giving her half-truths left a pit in her stomach, as they said their goodbyes.
Adopting a cheery tone to mask her real feelings, Peyton said," Bye Bastian, stay safe, and I will talk with you next week. Let me know if you need me to look into anything else for you. I will think about all you have asked and let you know my answer then. If I do come, I have so much I would need to do first. I hope you understand."
"Yeah, I do, love you, sis."
She knew he was lying again. Bastian was a man’s man, expecting people to fall in tow when he commanded it. She never had, but it didn’t change his demeanor.
Chapter 3
Peyton hung up the phone and ran to the door. She didn’t want her dogs to freak out the UPS man or the postman. They had once before when she wasn’t fast enough getting out of the shower, and it took her months to get her mail on time. Absently answering the door, Peyton was started when she finally looked up. She was instantly transported right back to her childhood horror story. It was definitely not a delivery person. No, what stood before her now was the cause of her nightmares. The person in front of her disgusted her to no end, she was anything but happy that this encounter was about to happen. Shit, she scolded herself. She should have looked to see who was at the door before opening it. When would she ever learn?
Taking a deep breath in an attempt to lessen the tightening in her chest, she said, "Hello Mother, what are you doing here? Better yet, how did you know where to find me?"
Peyton wanted to scream. She never wanted to see her mother again and had taken every precaution to ensure that. But there she was, standing before her in all her 1980s glory. The woman was the epitome of white trash; big hair, bigger boobs, and lots and lots of makeup. Judy had always been skinny, but the years were catching up to her. Now she looked gaunt, almost hollow. Peyton could see the wrinkles and sagging skin that was surely the bane of her mother’s existence. Didn’t she know that the overly thick makeup she always wore only enhanced her age? She doubted it. The woman would always play at trying to be in her twenties, something she left behind a couple of decades ago.
Her clothes or lack thereof were skin tight spandex, showing off ever dip and dimple. Peyton wanted to laugh because her choice of loud colors only added to the freak show. The neon yellow mini dress with her stripper platform heels looked so out of place on Peyton’s property. But the one thing that always remained the same with her mother was the cold, dark hatred Peyton had always seen in her eyes. She often wondered if there was ever a time Judy Carlson was anything but evil.
"Oh please, you never were very smart. I know where all my cash cows are, didn’t you learn anything from our time together, Peyton?"
The grate of her mother’s voice sent bile up Peyton’s throat. She sounded like a ten pack a day smoker, and it was a voice Peyton often heard in her nightmares. Would she ever get away from this evil woman? She had a choice; she could let her mother see the fear she always created in her, or she could act strong. The second option would likely piss her off even more. She chose the latter.
"I learned a lot from our time together, Mother. Mostly how to dodge a punch, but that doesn’t answer my question. What are you doing here? We have an agreement. I deposit money in your account every month, and you never come near me again."
"You always were such a brat, Peyton. Our agreement was that you would pay me at least forty percent of your income from those mutts you play with. Imagine my surprise when I found out that those mangy things can get you over twenty-five thousand dollars apiece, and here I am, your loving mother, suffering with only $2500 a month. I really don’t think that’s fair so I decided to come and check things out for myself. You have been holding out on me, Peyton. Maybe I should give good old Butch a call to teach you a lesson in respecting your mother. You know, the first thought that came into my brain was you wouldn’t dare. But then I came back to reality."
Judy Carlson would do anything to achieve her goals. Instantly, Peyton was on the defensive.
"I give you what I can and still be able to eat. My dogs do not get twenty-five thousand apiece after I pay for upkeep and housing. Not to mention, it takes years for a dog to be ready to go out for adoption. So, that figure is way off."
No way was she going to tell this horrid woman where she gets the $2500 she sends her every month. If her mother knew she got paid for helping NAC, she would want a hell of a lot more than that every month
Peyton recognized that sneer on her mother’s face. She knew it all too well. She also knew the next words out of her mouth were going to cut, it was just a matter of how deep.
"I don’t know, Peyton, by the looks of it, you are spending way too much money on feeding yourself. You have gained at least fifty pounds since the last time I saw you. It would be in your best interest if you cut back on your grocery bill and send that money my way. You need to drop a few pounds anyways."
The bitch always went right for the jugular.
"No mother," Peyton said.
Her mother knew those were fighting words. No one said no to Judy Carlson.
"That is all I can afford. If you got the information on how much my dogs go for, then you also got the information on whom my dogs go to. I have built quite a nice little business here. You see, I work for the government, military, and various law enforcement agencies. Just think, it would only take one call from me to one of my very happy customers, advising them that Judy Carlson is back in the open. What was the last scam you did before you went underground?" Peyton asked, putting her finger
to her mouth like she was thinking. She then said, " Oh yeah, it was that Senator. And if I recall correctly, didn’t his wife get hurt in the process?"
She expected the charge from her mother. What she didn’t expect was that she had stopped herself from actually making contact with Peyton. Peyton noticed that her mother looked behind herself for a second before she spoke. Peyton didn’t know if it was because Zeus was sitting there or if was something else. Her boy had come to keep watch out for her, and it gave her a little more confidence. Still, she signaled him with her hand to stand down. She needed this to play out. Like the well-trained dog, he was he did just that. Peyton knew Hera and Brut were close as well, but staying out of sight and keeping quiet. That was how she had trained them; Zeus took the lead and the others followed. If he attacked, so would they.
With venom in her voice, Judy snapped, "Why you little bitch, you wouldn’t dare. Well, maybe you would. Did the little mouse grow a backbone since I have been gone? That would be surprising, but we both know that I only have to make one phone call and all that sass you seem to have gotten will evaporate like the Twinkies I am sure you are hiding. What do you say, how about a real family reunion? I’m sure Butch misses you!"
Peyton hated this woman with every fiber of her being, but she hated Butch more. He was a filthy, disgusting human being that should be put down. The man preyed on people weaker than himself, and it made Peyton sick. He was also the first person Peyton had taken her own unique form of justice out on that wasn't job-related and had never regretted a minute of it.
Looking beyond the situation at hand, she needed to keep her so-called mothers taint from affecting her. In an attempt to calm down, she tried to focus on her surroundings. The forest, her home, this house was her sanctuary her safe place. Peyton loved everything about it; the lush grass and abundance of trees, the cedar shake siding that she painstakingly hung piece by piece, even the porch she was currently standing on offered her a measure of peace. Weathered and worn, but it was hers. It was something she worked hard to get and even harder to keep. Giving her the boost of courage she needed. Judy needed to leave, and soon.
"Bring it on, Mommy Dearest. I am not the same scared little girl I was back then. I’m sure good old Butch has a record a mile long by now.”
He did because Peyton made sure of it.
“Let him show his face here, I welcome the payback!"
Peyton was trying to sound hardened and harsh, but the reality was the mere mention of the man’s name brought feelings of dread and fear. No way could she ever show that weakness to her mother because the woman would suck it up like the vampire she was. Peyton would never willingly give her any fuel. She had enough already.
Whatever Peyton was expecting by that little revelation didn’t happen, and she knew that her mother had another ace up her sleeve by the self-righteous little smirk she had on her overly painted lips.
"Listen, you little bitch. I want more money and you will give it to me. If you don’t, I will have no choice but to get it other ways. So, how is that stepbrother of yours, Sebastian, doing? He was always such a sweet and handsome boy. Even at 13 years old I could tell he was going to be quite the catch. Heard he went in the military and is working for some clandestine security agency now."
Yeah, that was a direct hit. In no way was Peyton letting Judy anywhere close to Bastian. She tainted everything, and everyone around her and Peyton was determined it would never touch her brother again.
"You leave Sebastian alone. He got out. He doesn’t talk to his dad anymore and he sure as hell wouldn’t want to speak to you. Your little Mrs. Robinson act made sure of that."
"Oh, you see that is where you are wrong, but then again you never were that bright,” the vile woman said, pulling out her trademark cigarettes from her bra.
How she hid them there without crushing them, Peyton would never know. But Judy was never without her smokes. Taking a long drag, her mother proceeded to blow it right into Peyton’s face. It took everything she had not to start coughing up a storm or worse, gag. Peyton hated the smell of cigarette smoke; it brought up too many memories. Peyton wouldn’t even give the woman that much.
"That boy wanted what I had to offer,” Judy said, rubbing her hands down her overly tight dress, making sure to stop and emphasize what she thought were her finer attributes.
It only made Peyton’s stomach churn harder. After her little show, she waved her hand back like it was no big deal.
"Harold was just the jealous type," Judy declared.
Yeah, Peyton thought, trying to seduce a 13-year-old is no big deal. Nothing morally or ethically wrong with that, but then again, her mother was completely lacking in any moral way. Peyton was pretty sure that the woman couldn’t spell, let alone think along an ethical line. God, how could she have come from this woman?
This time when Judy charged, she didn’t stop. Thankfully she dropped her damn cigarette before the attack. Peyton knew personally how much those suckers burned. Her face came so close; Peyton could smell the nicotine on her breath. When her boney fingers came up and grabbed the side of Peyton’s shirt, pulling her closer to make sure that her talons scratched as deeply as possible, Peyton wanted to die a little. The abrasive physical contact with the person she hated most in the world had an instant effect on her.
"Here is the deal, you little beast. I want my allowance increased to $10,000 a month. If you don’t come up with it, then I might just know some people who are willing to pay for Sebastian’s whereabouts."
The evil in this woman never ended. It was one of the reasons Peyton chose to live without any ties to anyone. If Judy could find a weak spot, she would exploit it to her fullest advantage.
Stepping back, Judy once again primping herself. "After all, I do have a lifestyle I need to keep."
Again, Peyton was stuck with two choices; fold or fight. For Bastian, she would fight.
Peyton laughed, "Okay mother, I will think about it, not! You don’t have any idea where Sebastian is so your threats won’t work with me. But I believe that it is time to cut the cord. Since you decided to break our agreement and come to my home, consider yourself cut off permanently. There isn’t anything you can do to me anymore, mother, and you will never get close enough to Sebastian to cause him any harm."
Peyton turned to go back into the house and slam the door in her mother’s face forever. It felt good, maybe she should have done it sooner.
She couldn’t resist just one more jab, "Goodbye Mother, I hope to never see you again."
Peyton went to close the door in her mother’s face, but Judy blocked it and held it with more strength than Peyton thought she was capable of.
"Oh, stupid naïve little Peyton. You know full well I am not your mother. You were baggage from a mark gone wrong. Don’t you think it is about time you stopped using that term and drop the Judy shit while you’re at it? I’m Sara now. It means princess. I think that’s quite fitting, don’t you?”
She even had the nerve to push up her ginormous fake boobs and fluff her peroxide dye job, already teased to the hilt."
God, the woman, never stopped. Peyton shouldn’t have expected anything different, but damn.
Peyton couldn’t resist jabbing, "Well, if you are using the meaning of princess to show that you feel you’re entitled to anything and everything, I guess that’s just as good as any name. Personally, I would have gone with Haggatha, it's more fitting. I think it means crotchety old woman."
Score one for Peyton. Judy’s, or Sara, who Peyton would never call her, ruddy face was now almost purple with anger.
"I should have discarded you in the first dumpster I saw after I gave birth to your worthless fat ass. You have been nothing but trouble since your first, fucking breath, you ungrateful little troll. As for Sebastian, that boy always did have potential. He had a bit of a mean streak if I remember correctly; he just needed the right mentor. I hear the Upper Peninsula is quite a sight this time of year. Think I might just take myself a littl
e vacation to check out the scenery myself."
Now Peyton was scared. Bastian and his team lived in the Upper Peninsula. There was no reason for Judy to know anything about Bastian. She wanted to think the evil woman was just blowing smoke, trying to get her way, but with the phone call earlier from Bastian and now Judy showing up, it couldn’t all be a coincidence. Something was going on, and it wasn’t good. Peyton didn’t close the door like she should; she needed to hear what Judy knew. Or at least let the woman talk, so she had some way of figuring out what was going on.
"Frank was always a talkative drunk. A couple bottles of whiskey and a few of my more impressive moves," she emphasized that statement by moving her hips in a gross way.
Peyton was surprised her coffee was staying in her stomach.
"Maybe you should take some pointers, little girl. Give a man what he wants, and they will give you what you need." Judy shook her head, “tsk tsk tsk,’” looking Peyton up and down, “then again, you would need a hell of a lot of booze and a plastic surgeon to get anything from a man. Me on the other hand, it was as easy as taking candy from a baby. The man couldn’t tell me enough. It was actually one of the easiest jobs I have done. Frankie was always a good mark."
Judy preened like a proud peacock, and it only continued to make Peyton sick. The woman thought she had a talent. Peyton knew better, she chose men that were just like her; out for their own good. Judy played right into it, giving them what they thought they wanted; sex, drugs, and anything to meet her end goal. But what Peyton couldn’t figure out was why, after all these years, was she bringing Bastian into this little battle between them. Sure, he was someone that Peyton cared about, and it would kill her for him to be hurt in any way, but he was also a grown man with enough training to cover his own ass. Not to mention, he had a whole team backing him up. Judy wanted something more than money. Of that, Peyton was sure. This little confrontation had lasted way too long, but at least it had not been nearly as violent as they had been in the past.
Wyatt: NAC & The Holly Group (Alpha Team Book 3) Page 3
