“Yes, uh, everything?” Tobias asked as he began typing on the keyboard.
“Everything, no matter how personal it gets,” Kenny affirmed.
Sophie stepped in front of Kenny. She grabbed her arms and said, “Stay calm. Don’t lose your temper.”
“No promises, Soph,” Kenny retorted and ran up the stairs with Chelsey following close behind her.
They were stopped in the foyer.
“Ms. Whitt, I’m Alvin McGee with the Department of Veterans Affairs,” he said, holding out his hand. “Thank you for inviting us tonight. This is my wife, Betty, and—”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you both,” Kenny said, pumping his hand so fast it was a blur. “But if you would excuse me, I’ve got a slight emergency I need to take care of.”
Kenny practically ran past the water fountain and out the door, leaving the McGees and Chelsey gaping at her retreat.
“Please know that she really wants to talk with you, Mr. McGee,” Chelsey explained. “Kenny should be back in just a few minutes.”
Chelsey could see Felisha standing by the bar, then she saw a waitress close by and she waved them over. “In the meantime, please try the shrimp mushrooms?” Chelsey suggested as the waitress walked up carrying a tray full of shrimp.
“They’re wonderful,” Felisha added.
Chelsey left the McGees with Felisha and hurried after Kenny. When she caught up with her, Kenny was standing on the far side of the water fountain, scowling at a woman dressed in blue jeans and a floral blouse. The woman’s skin looked weather-worn, although her pale thin face suggested she hadn’t been outside much. Her shoulders weren’t drooping anymore, and her dark hair shimmered in the moonlight.
“Kenny, facial confirms she is your mother,” Tobias confirmed in her ear.
“I am your mother, Makenna. I gave birth to you twenty-four years ago.”
“Why the hell should I believe you?” Kenny argued. “I didn’t believe you at the plant, and I don’t now, so stop bothering me before I call the police.”
“You know I’m telling the truth. Deep down, you know it.”
“I’ll believe that you’re my mother when you return my grandmother to me.”
“Mom? What do you mean return her to you? Where the hell is she?”
“Like you don’t know,” Kenny snapped. “You fucking kidnapped her.”
“No, I fucking did not. Why would I kidnap my own mother?”
“Do you think I’m stupid?”
The clear September night air was cool, with a light breeze that put goosebumps on Chelsey’s arms as she walked up and stood beside Kenny. But the angry heat between the two women was almost palpable.
“Do you mind? We’re trying to have a private mother-daughter conversation here.”
“Don’t you dare speak to her like that,” Kenny barked, stepping slightly in front of Chelsey. “She has more right to be here than you do or ever will.”
“Oh, is that how it is? Fine, maybe she’ll believe that I am your mother.”
“You may have been the bitch who gave birth to me, which I will believe only after a DNA test, but you are not my mother. My grandma is my mother. She and Grandpa were forced to raise me when my whore of a mother sold her soul for drugs.”
“Don’t you dare call me a whore,” Jaylen yelled, raising her hand.
Kenny tucked her hand into her pocket and wrapped her fingers around the grip of the pistol. “This is my house, and you don’t get to tell me what I can and cannot say.”
Jaylen exhaled and tried a different tactic. “Look, I’m sorry. This is not how I thought we would meet. I just want to get to know you, and I want you to know me. I’ve changed, Makenna.” She held out her left arm and pulled up her sleeve to the crook of her arm, showing scars from needle marks on otherwise smooth skin. “I’m six years sober now.”
“From what I heard, it wasn’t by choice.”
“Maybe not,” she admitted. “But I’m clean, just the same. I don’t use anymore and I’ve got a job.”
“Goody for you,” Kenny said as she stepped closer. “Where the hell is my grandmother?”
“Why do you keep asking me that? Has something happened to Mom?”
“I’m tired of your bullshit, and I’ve got a party to get back to. Either you bring Grandma back safe or I’ll make your life a living hell, and as you well know, I’ve got the resources to do it.”
“Don’t threaten me, Makenna. You don’t know who you’re dealing with.”
“I thought I was dealing with the whore who gave birth to me?” Kenny chuckled.
Jaylen reached up and slapped her, hard, across the cheek. “I told you not to call me that.”
For a split second, it seemed like everything stopped, even the waterfall, then Kenny reared back and slapped Jaylen across the cheek so hard it sent her stumbling back.
“Where’s my grandma?” Kenny growled, refusing to rub the sting from her cheek. “Tell me, damn it. Before I have you arrested for public assault.”
“You hit me back,” Jaylen snarled, rubbing her cheek.
“Funny, all I saw was you hitting Kenny,” Chelsey said from behind Kenny.
Jaylen sneered and looked at her. “Do you know what we do with people like you in prison, little girl? We make dessert out of them.”
Chelsey jutted her chin out and replied, “Oh, I’m sorry, was that supposed to scare me? Because it doesn’t.” In truth, Chelsey was shaking inside, it terrified her so much. She knew Jaylen’s history. She knew the woman’s brain was charred from drugs and could go berserk at the drop of a hat. But she wouldn’t be intimidated, not when Kenny needed her to have her back.
“That’s it, get the fuck out of here,” Kenny shouted, stepping so close to her that Jaylen was forced to take a step back. “I don’t ever want to see you again.”
“But, I’m your—”
“You are nothing to me,” Kenny said matter-of-factly. She pointed toward the street. “Leave now or I’ll have your parole revoked.”
That did it. Jaylen believed her threat and walked away, cussing as she left. She didn’t see Kenny shaking as she fought back her tears.
“Are you okay?” Chelsey asked, stepping closer to her.
“No, I’m not,” Kenny yelled. “Just, give me a minute, okay?”
Chelsey stepped back and nodded. “Sure, but I’m not leaving you alone out here.”
“I’m not a child, damn it!” Kenny yelled. “I don’t need you holding my hand, following me around, sticking your damn nose in my business.”
Surprised, Chelsey hesitated. “I’m… I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry, just get the hell out of my face,” she screamed, turned and walked away.
*
With tears she couldn’t hold back, Chelsey watched through blurred eyes as Kenny walked into the house. She stood there, staring at the door for over five minutes. What just happened? Finally, taking a deep breath to compose herself, she walked toward the house. With each step Chelsey took, she replayed the fight between Kenny and Jaylen, and how it somehow came around to Kenny yelling at her. All she was trying to do was help. To be compassionate and supportive.
She knew Kenny was under a lot of stress. Had she finally cracked under the pressure or was she more like her mother than she knew? She thought she knew Kenny pretty well, but obviously, she had been wrong. I couldn’t have been that wrong.
As she approached the steps to the door, it swung open and Kenny walked back out.
“It was so nice to meet you, Alvin, Betty,” Kenny said as Alvin and his wife followed her out. “And thank you for considering my scholarship proposal. I’ll make an appointment next week to talk with you more about it.”
She won’t even look at me, Chelsey thought.
“I look forward to hearing more about it,” he replied.
“Thank you both for coming,” Kenny said, shaking his hand.
“We’ve had a lovely time, thank you for inviting us,” Betty sa
id. “You must come to our Christmas party we host for the vets. They are always so appreciative.”
“I would like that, thank you,” Kenny replied sincerely. “I used to come with my grandmother and volunteer at those parties. Perhaps we can do that again.”
“Oh, that would be wonderful,” Betty said.
Chelsey was amazed at Kenny’s ability to compartmentalize, putting her anger aside to charm the McGees so quickly. As she walked past the group and into the house, a whisper of a smile on her lips, she noted that Kenny still wouldn’t make eye contact with her. The anger that Kenny so successfully put on hold was beginning to surge inside of Chelsey, and her smile turned into a scowl. She cut through the foyer and down to the game room, subconsciously hoping Sophie would be there and could explain Kenny’s odd behavior.
By the time she made her way to the game room, Chelsey had calmed down and changed her mind. She could also control her emotions and finish the job. The party was still going on and she needed to help with it. There would be plenty of time later to vent her frustrations. And Kenny would be on the receiving end of her vent.
12:01 a.m. Friday, Day Five after the Kidnapping
The last guest, Commissioner Weathersby, left at 12:30 A.M., but not before asking about Deidre once more. Kenny stuck to her story that she was in Ireland. They had a little staring contest for a moment, and then he finally left. Felisha dismissed the staff after the dishes had been collected, and, as she was leaving, said she would be back in the morning with a cleaning crew. Kenny, who was downing her third whiskey since meeting her mother, insisted that Tobias stay the night and sent him and his mother upstairs to bed.
Chelsey, who had avoided her since the fight with Jaylen, was downstairs in the game room, lifting prints from the glasses.
Kenny’s phone vibrated as she sat her empty glass on the counter in the foyer and she pulled it out and tapped on the app. It was a picture of her, with Chelsey beside her, talking to the commissioner in the cocktail bar, also known as the formal dining room. “This proves she has an accomplice,” she said to herself. The text read, Thanks for the lovely party. Grandma will enjoy the leftovers and I will enjoy another five million. Thirty-five million bucks, cha-ching!
“At least they gave Grandma a break.”
Slipping her phone back in her pocket, she grabbed a handful of flowers from the vase and walked through the room to the game room door. It was open, which it had not been during the party, and she stopped at the top of the stairs, suddenly afraid to go down. The pained look in Chelsey’s eyes stabbed at her heart, and she wasn’t sure how she could ever make it up to her. Her outburst surprised even her, but the fact that she didn’t apologize immediately only added to the wall that had gone up between them.
“I hear you up there, Kenny,” Chelsey said dryly.
“Is it safe to come down?” Kenny asked as she stepped on the first step of the stairs.
“No, but come down anyway.”
Kenny walked in quietly, going over her apology in her head. She stood beside Chelsey but stared at the floor. “I’m, um, I stole these for you,” she said, shoving the flowers at Chelsey.
Chelsey snubbed her nose at them and looked back at the monitor she was sitting in front of.
“Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell at you. Well, that’s not exactly true. I did mean to yell, but not for the reasons…” Kenny raked her fingers through her hair. “I, uh…” Damn it!
Chelsey slammed her hands on the counter and stood up. She turned to Kenny, her forehead creased with angry wrinkles. “You hurt me, Kenny, and giving me used flowers and lying about lying isn’t going to make me feel any better.”
“I know. I really am sorry. Please, let me explain.”
“You tried that, remember?”
Kenny unbuttoned her jacket and stuffed her hands in her pants pockets. She walked over to the evidence board and stared at the picture of her grandmother as she tried to put her thoughts together. The alcohol in her system was messing with her brain, and her reasoning was slow to return. Inhaling deeply, she let it out slowly and turned back to Chelsey, who had her arms crossed over her chest.
“I yelled at you because I was scared, Chelsey.”
She remained rigid, squared shoulders, head tilted up, unrelenting. “Keep talking.”
Kenny walked over and stood in front of her, but as much as she wanted, she didn’t touch her. “My mother threatened you, Chels. An ex-con drug-addict who kidnapped Grandma, threatened you and that scared the shit out of me.”
Chelsey dropped her shoulders and lowered her arms. “She was just trying to be intimidating.”
“She was also eavesdropping. She was hiding in the bushes listening to us. That’s why I kept yelling at you. I wanted her to think we were fighting.”
“You were fighting, I was dumbstruck.”
“I know and I’m so sorry. I was just trying to protect you.”
Chelsey finally relaxed and allowed a smile to ghost her lips. “Okay, I believe you.”
“Then I hope you’ll understand what I have to say next.”
“Why do I think I’m not going to like it?”
Kenny took a step back. “I need to ask you to leave. Tonight. Right now.”
Chapter Seventeen
Chelsey’s anger returned, and she put her hands on her hips. “Are you drunk?”
“I’ll pay you double for your time, of course, with a generous bonus.”
“What are you talking about?” Chelsey spit out the words. “I don’t want your stinking money.”
“I’m talking about you going back to college and forgetting about all this.”
“You really mean that, don’t you?”
Perplexed, Kenny scratched her head. “Yes, I do.”
“Good, I believe you. Now, let’s get back to work,” she said, turning back to the monitor.
“What? No. Get your things together, and I’ll drive you to your parents’ house.”
“Why? They’re not there. They’ve gone on a camping trip up in the Ozarks. I thought I told you that.”
“Chelsey, I’m serious.”
“Yes, I know, and I appreciate the concern, but I’m not going anywhere, so just forget it.”
Kenny yanked on her elbow and spun her around. “Don’t you get it? I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to you.”
Chelsey shook her head and arched her eyebrows. “Don’t you get it? I feel the same damn way.”
“You… you do?”
Chelsey shook her head, then grabbed her by the shoulders and kissed her hard on the lips.
Kenny responded by hungrily pulling her closer, her lustful desires pushing her protective fears aside. “God, I want you so bad right now,” she muttered.
Chelsey tangled her fingers in Kenny’s hair and pulled her head back. “Like I said, I feel the same way.”
“Oh, man.” Kenny’s heart began to beat rapidly as she crashed into Chelsey’s lips. She nipped at her bottom lip then suckled it, savoring her taste, her smell, her warmth.
Chelsey moaned and opened her mouth, begging Kenny to enter. She gave a small cry when their tongues touched and the tantalizing electricity shot through her veins, igniting her blood. More!
They fought each other for a moment, trying to kiss harder, deeper, faster. It grew so heated that they wrestled each other to the floor, landing on top of the throw pillows, still kissing. Kenny rolled on top of her and, catching her breath, locked eyes with her.
Chelsey fluttered her eyelids and nodded.
With her unspoken question answered, Kenny kissed her again, struggling to unzipped Chelsey’s dress from behind. Chelsey quickly stood up and pulled the dress off, letting it fall to the floor. Then she laid down again and Kenny immediately cupped her breasts and with one touch of Chelsey’s creamy smooth skin feral passion took control. While still possessing one breast, Kenny ran her hand down the curves of Chelsey’s side, savoring the warmth of her skin, smellin
g the sweet perfume of her desires. She stopped at the rim of the half-slip Chelsey was wearing, with lace panties underneath.
Chelsey ran her hand across Kenny’s cheeks, down her neck, and across her collarbone. She desperately needed more but Kenny’s shirt and jacket were in her way. “I need you naked, now!” she cried, pulling on the jacket.
Kenny jumped up and stripped faster than she had ever undressed before. As she did so, Chelsey wiggled out of her slip and panties and tossed them to the side. Kenny let her clothes fall where she stood and hungrily pounced on Chelsey in all her nakedness. “I want you so bad,” she said, resuming her fondling.
“You have me,” Chelsey replied breathlessly. She reached up and squeezed a breast, smiling when Kenny arched her back and moaned.
As Kenny caressed her body, exploring every curve and crevasse, her gentle fingertips set Chelsey’s skin on fire. Their limbs entangled as each sought to fan the fire burning inside. Kenny’s burning lips sought out Chelsey’s once again, and then they seared their way down to her breast, kissing, sucking, and biting until Chelsey whimpered with pleasure, her body reaching out for more. Kenny growled at the sound of Chelsey’s moan and slipped her hand down to the wet, prickly hair between her legs.
“Yes. Oh, yes. Hurry, Kenny,” Chelsey cried as she raised her hips to meet Kenny’s fingers.
Her words spurred Kenny’s hunger, her desire to drive her harder, to own her screams. She had never wanted anyone as bad as she wanted… needed, Chelsey. Everything good in the world revolved around this woman with her understanding, stubborn heart.
Normally the women she pleasured wanted to reach orgasm as slow as they could possibly prolong it, which was enjoyable for her. But Chelsey seemed to want it as fast as she could bring her to it, which was the way she preferred it to begin with.
“You’re so close,” Kenny said hoarsely, struggling to suppress her own body’s reaction. She massaged her clit gently at first, emboldened when the organ began to throb and grow hard. “Yes, yes.”
Panting as she clutched the pillows, Chelsey bucked up, thrusting Kenny’s fingers deeper inside her. “I need…”
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