Twisted Up in You

by Dawn Martens

  Then her face goes back to her sneer. “Doesn’t matter about any of that now, anyways. You’re my girls, my daughters. You’re nothing. Scum. Like mother, like daughters.”

  Melissa walks in, followed by Chelsea, both girls laughing over something. Melissa’s face pales when she see’s Mom.

  “Mom, what are you doing here?” she demands.

  “See, what’d I say?” Mom says, throwing her hands out at Melissa. “Scum, nothing, forever and ever, nothing. I bet you don’t even know who the father is.”

  Melly bursts into tears, and I want to slap our bitch of a mother. But I can’t. My feet freeze. I am back to being that little girl again who wants nothing more than her mother’s love and approval. I just wanted to be good enough for her.

  BLAKE

  I get calls and texts from Angel, telling me to get to Cori’s condo immediately because her mother is there. I rush over as fast as I can, calling Drew to come over as well. Figure I may need him. I pull up to the building and see his car already here.

  “What are we walking into exactly?” he asks.

  I give him the run down, and he follows me up, telling me he actually has an arrest warrant for her so this is his lucky day.

  We step off the elevator and hear screaming. Chelsea.

  “You mother fucking cock sucking bitch! How can you treat them this way, huh? You’re their mother! And you make them feel like scum! You, woman, you are scum! That’s all on you. Fucking crack head junkie whore!” Chelsea screams, but she isn’t done. “You made them suffer for years, you stupid cow. I hope like fuck Hangman finds out he had a kid by you, because I would love to see your insides strewn around town.”

  “Shit,” Drew says, moving fast to the door.

  I swing the door open, and it bangs off the wall. Cori and Melissa are just staring down at the floor, arms wrapped around themselves, tears streaming down their faces.

  I look to the woman Chelsea is facing off with. I’m thankful neither one of her daughters looks like her—worn down, hair falling out, too damn fat.

  “You Luanne Treyton?” Drew asks from behind me.

  She puts her hands on her hips and throws attitude. “Who’s asking?” she snaps out.

  “RCMP,” Drew growls.

  Luanne’s face pales, and she looks away.

  “Yeah, she is,” Chelsea speaks up.

  I go to Cori, wrapping her in my arms. “It’s okay, baby. She can’t do shit to hurt you. Not ever again. I promise.”

  I hear the cuffs being placed and Drew reading her rights, when she finally speaks up. “My slutty bitch of a daughter got herself a hot shot? Well, you should know she ain’t nothing special. Get out before she ruins your life like she did mine.”

  “Shut the fuck up, woman,” Drew growls. He marches her out of the condo as I’m holding on to Cori.

  Chelsea wraps up Melissa.

  “I don’t get it. I’m good with everyone else. She shows up, and I’m so fucking stupid I can barely speak with her. Why can’t I stand up to her? I started to, and then I couldn’t,” Cori says, her voice sounding dead. “I just wanted her to love me. Melly too. She never accepted us or showed us anything but hate, and still, here I am, hoping she would be proud of the women we’ve become.”

  “This is my fault,” Chelsea speaks up.

  “What? How’s it your fault?” Cori asks her.

  “You were getting letters again. I took them, hid them. If I had just told you, you could have been better prepared or something.”

  Cori shakes her head. “No, you did the right thing. Thank you.”

  “What did they say?” Melissa says, finally speaking.

  “The usual. Give me money or I’ll show up. Shit like that. It’s always shit like that,” Chelsea explains.

  “I told her about our fathers,” Cori says. “She was terrified when I said Melissa’s father is the president of the Untamed Angels. She didn’t seem to know that.”

  “I’d be scared, too, if I found that shit out. Have you heard of those guys?” Chelsea says. “It’s all over the news, all the damn time, about how they keep finding bodies and shit. Cops say it’s the Untamed, but there is never evidence so nothing ever happens.”

  “Well, shit,” Cori breathes.

  “How about we finish up the baking, and I take you out?” I say, stepping into their downer conversation.

  “That sounds perfect,” Cori says, sounding relieved.

  Chapter 37

  Cori

  A week after that terrible face down with my mom, things are finally getting back to normal. I’m now wondering about Blake’s mom. He said she gave him up after his dad died, but he didn’t say anything else after that about her, just about the family he tried to find that wanted to adopt him.

  I’m bored today, so I’m swiveling around in my chair at my desk when Blake comes out of his office, looking amused.

  I stop spinning and grin at him. “What? I was bored.”

  He shakes his head. “Well, now you can get un-bored.” He hands me a few files. “Close those and file them. Then come in my office.”

  I give him the look, the look I always give him when I want it, and he shakes his head at me and just tells me to hurry.

  I do what he asks quickly. I make sure no one is staring as I scurry into his office, and then make sure the blinds are closed this time. Blake loosens his tie, his hungry eyes devouring me as I begin taking my dress off after locking the door.

  “We keep this up, you are going to need a new couch in here before long,” I tease.

  “You complaining?” He cocks his brow at me, undoing his cuffs.

  “Never.” I smirk, stepping out of my dress. We meet at the couch, crashing together full of want and need.

  His lips are latched to mine as he explores my clit with his thick fingers.

  The phone on his desk rings.

  “Ignore it,” I demand.

  “I want to, but I can’t.” He licks my bottom lip and picks the phone up from the receiver. “Blake here.”

  Saddling up next to him, I go down on my knees. His eyes go wide as I take him in my mouth. “Sounds good.” He groans, hanging up quickly.

  “You don’t play fair.”

  BLAKE

  I’m watching Cori getting dressed when she asks the question I didn’t want to answer before. The question I’ve been waiting for that has never come.

  “What happened to your mom?”

  Sighing, I sit in my chair, and she comes close.

  “You don’t have to tell me. I just wanted to know.”

  “She’s living in Chilliwack with her family. Husband is a doctor, and she has three kids. Two girls, one boy.”

  “What? You can’t be serious.”

  “I am. Once I learned that, I stopped wanting to know anything else. Seems she got remarried three years after she got rid of me.”

  “What a fucking bitch!” Cori explodes. “You need to confront her. Her new stupid ass family needs to learn about the bitch she really is.”

  “No, Cori, just leave it alone.”

  “What’s her name?!”

  “Cori.”

  “What. Is. Her. Name?!” she shouts at me.

  I rub the back of my neck and relent. “Fuck, Cori, don’t do anything, okay? It’s Linda. Happy now?”

  “Yes, yes, I am. Thank you,” she says curtly.

  She leans over to me, hands on my shoulders, and gives me a kiss.

  “Thank you for telling me. She doesn’t know what she’s missing out on, how amazing you are.”

  “Have you talked to your dad recently?” I ask her, changing the subject.

  She perks up. “A bit. Mostly, we do three-way calling—me, him, and Lilly. Plus, you should see my bank account. He’s going crazy. I talked to Lilly about the money, and she said it’s the same amount she’s received from him so far, too.”

  I raise my eyebrows. “How much money are we talking about here?” I ask her with a grin.

  “N
ope, I’m not telling you. I won’t become your sugar baby,” she says sarcastically.

  I kiss her forehead, and she pulls away, looking at me oddly. “What?” I ask her.

  “Well, Dad emailed me last night, and um, the weird thing is that he sent me house listings. I called Lilly about it, and she said it’s his thing. Apparently, he even bought Lilly a house when she turned eighteen, and he seems to want to do the same for me,” she says, looking a bit put off by it.

  I don’t want him buying her a house, because when I can manage it, I want us to buy a house together. For now, she needs to stay in her condo.

  “Don’t worry about it. He’s just trying to make up for lost time and all that,” I tell her.

  “You’re probably right.” She sighs and goes to the door. “I should get back to work. I wouldn’t want my boss to catch me away from my desk.” She throws me a wink and saunters out.

  Great. Now I want her again.

  Chapter 38

  Cori

  When I leave Blake’s office, I’m still feeling angry about his bitch of a mother. I know he was trying to change the subject, so I let him, but still not letting go of the shit he told me about her. I get that she lost her husband, but giving up a child, and then a few years later remarrying and having more kids without even bothering to find the child she gave up? I want to wring her damn neck.

  I walk to Adam’s office and don’t bother knocking. He looks up, shocked at seeing me, probably because it’s rare I ever actually come to see him.

  “What can I do for you?” he asks.

  “Linda Lexington. She’s married now. Don’t know that name. But you are to find me everything you can. Mailing address preferred,” I request.

  He gives a slow blink and stares at me. “Blake know about this?”

  “Nope, and you’re not going to tell him either.”

  “And why wouldn’t I?”

  “Because I’ll stop trying to tell Clara to hold off on filing the divorce papers, and I’ll root for her doing it,” I threaten.

  He sits up straight in his chair, looking at me. “She didn’t file yet?”

  I shake my head. “I told her to hold off a bit, make sure it’s what she really truly wants first. But you tell Blake that shit, I’ll make sure she knows my opinions on it has changed.”

  He swallows visibly and nods. “I’ll find what I can.”

  I smile sweetly at him. “You’re so awesome, and here I was pissed at you because you’re a moron... Thanks, Adam.”

  “Wait. You were pissed at me?” he asks, looking put off.

  “Well, of course. What you did to Clara? Not cool, dude. Not even a little bit,” I say.

  He looks at me in shock. “She told you?”

  I nod. “Yep, about everything, including how you wouldn’t choose between her and her sister. Shit move, buddy, but the choice was obvious. Your wife. Always first. Forever and always.”

  “Fuck,” Adam mutters. “It’s not what she thinks. I couldn’t make that choice in front of the kid. Plus, shit started happening again, bad shit, and I couldn’t abandon Sophie.”

  “Too bad so sad. You made your bed. I think it was dicky of you, but whatever. If I didn’t like you so much, I would be shouting at her to move on to Preston and make beautiful babies with him. But hopefully, you’ll fix your shit soon. Now, back to my thing,” I say, changing the subject.

  “Yeah, I’ll do it. Don’t worry. But, just so you know, if Blake finds out, he’ll be pissed,” he warns.

  I wave him off. “Let me worry about that.”

  He shakes his head at me, and I watch him walk down the hall, staring longingly at Clara.

  I hope the two of them can work their shit out or move on. They need to give in to each other or get closure. It isn’t healthy walking around with all that stuff hanging over a person.

  BLAKE

  I watch Cori talk with Adam, and at first, I think she might be going behind my back, but when I open the door quietly, I hear her talking about him and Clara. Happy to know she isn’t disrespecting my wishes, I shut the door and go back to work.

  I see Adam is no longer talking to Cori, so I buzz her phone. “What’s up, handsome?” she asks, answering.

  I smile. “Need you to run down to all the floors. Need all of their statements for everything,” I tell her.

  “Righty-o, boss man.” She clicks off, and I watch her leave. Tax season isn’t for four months, but I always make every floor send me up all their numbers and shit once a month so I can make sure everything is running properly. Adam is in charge of getting their rent, and I look over numbers they bring in to see what can be a write-off and what can’t.

  Cori brings everything up about forty minutes later. I don’t bother looking at her because I know, if I do, I’ll take her again.

  Two hours later, my phone lights up, and I hit the speaker button. “Yeah?”

  “I’m heading out now, babe. I’m starved. Want me to pick you up something?” Cori asks.

  I look at the clock and realize it’s an hour past closing. “Wait for me. We’ll go out.”

  “Okie dokie,” Cori says, sounding perky.

  *~*

  We end up a Chinese buffet, and Cori loads her plate with the basic stuff—chicken balls and fried rice. “That’s it? We’re in a Chinese place. You don’t want anything else?” I ask her.

  She wrinkles her nose. “Eww to everything else. This shit right here,” she says, showing me her plate, “is the only good Chinese food.”

  I shake my head, and we eat, talking randomly about shit. She tells me what she learned about Adam and Clara. To say I’m shocked is an understatement. Hell, Adam threw me when it came out that he and Clara were married. We’ve been friends for years, and I never knew.

  Cori gets a call, and she rolls her eyes. “What?” she answers. “I’m out. Eating supper with Blake.” Pauses. “Dragon City.” Pause. “Fine.” She hangs up.

  “Who was that?” I ask.

  “Melissa. She has a craving,” Cori says, smirking. “It’s starting to drive me nuts. The other night, she made me get out of bed at two am to get her pickles,” she says with a shake of her head.

  “No, you didn’t,” I state. She was with me all night.

  She smirks. “You were asleep. I left and came back, and you were still passed out.”

  “That’s weird. Normally, I wake up easily.”

  “Well, as you said, my bed is the best ever.”

  She gives me a wink, and we finish up. After ordering take out for Melissa, we head home.

  Chapter 39

  Cori

  Adam came through for me. The following week after I asked him for Blake’s bitch mom’s information, he handed it over. Told me to really think about it first, though, because if Blake finds out, he’ll be livid. I just shrugged at him because, after it happens, I don’t know.

  Blake can find out all he wants. I just need to do this first before he knows.

  Linda,

  You don’t know me, but I’m writing this in hopes you open your damn eyes and get with the program. You lost your husband, gave up your newborn baby, and didn’t even think twice about him once you had your new family. What kind of mother does that make you? I bet your kids and husband don’t even know about Blake, do they?

  I’ll have you know, Blake is the best man in the world. He’s a social worker, saves children from all over, and even works very closely with the Angels Warriors.

  You have no idea what you gave up when you left your son to rot in the system. Thank God he’s a better person then you ever were.

  Cori, the woman so totally in love with your son

  I never said that to Blake yet, but I know it; I feel the love I have for him, and it kind of scares me a bit. I write down Blake’s numbers and his address, hoping something comes from this.

  I finish typing it out and print it off, sealing it in the envelope in my drawer, stamping it, and writing her address on the front. I see Marcy comin
g off the elevator, and I rush to her before Blake knows she’s here.

  “I need you to run that down to the mail box right away.”

  Marcy looks at me then the envelope and back to me, her eyes guarded. “Be back,” she mutters.

  “Was that Marcy?” Blake startles me.

  “Yeah, she came up but then forgot something. She’ll be back,” I lie.

  He stares at me, and the way he’s looking at me, it’s as if he knows. I kiss him quickly, because his stare is going to make me blurt out the stupid thing I just did.

  I pull away and stare at him. “How about a quickie?”

  He groans, shoving his face into my neck. “As much as I’d love that right now, I’m swamped with work. We just got another case we need to work on, and Marcy just came back up.”

  I smile, pulling away from. “Rain check then.” I sigh.

  He nods and walks away.

  “What was that about?” Marcy asks.

  “He was looking at me weird, so instead of blabbing about what I did, I tried to see if he’d go for a quickie.”

  Marcy bursts out laughing. “You’re a nut. I just hope what you just did doesn’t get found out. Blake will have a shit fit.”

  Nine days later, Blake had a shit fit.

  BLAKE

  Cori has been acting weird the last few days. Every time I’ve asked what’s up, she panics and just starts rambling. Even Adam has been avoiding me lately.

  I shake it off when my cell rings. It’s a number I don’t recognize. “Blake.”

  “Is this Blake Lexington?” a gruff voice asks me.

  “Yes, can I ask who’s calling?”

  “Jaris Morena.” I still when he answers; that’s the name of the man my mother married.

  “What can I do for you?” I ask, my voice gone cold.

  “I didn’t know. She never told me,” he says, his voice cracking. “When we met, I knew she was a widow but she said she never had kids. It’s what I always believed. I got this letter in the mail two days ago, addressed to Linda, and I opened it. I shouldn’t have, but I did. Your girlfriend, Cori, wrote to her, telling her off, and I couldn’t believe it, so I had you looked into. And it’s true.”