A/N: A little bit of Huntcedes ahead after an encounter with Sam. Yes, he's still alive and stubborn.
Standard Disclaimer: I own nothing but the mistakes. Thanks again for continuing to read this story.
33
It wasn't even late when Cedes and Hunter got back. Part of her felt bad considering her parents had wanted a date night. But another part, a bigger part, didn't feel the least bit guilty because it was all their fault she was sheriff.
After checking in and finding out they'd recaptured Ralphie the raccoon, rescuing him from inside a vending machine, Cedes headed home and was almost there when her fuel light came on.
She pulled into the Quick-Mart and parked beside her favorite gas pump: number two, but because the credit card machine still wasn't working, she had to go inside to pay.
She stepped into the small convenience store and slammed into a brick wall. When she bounced back, she looked up into the face of Sam Menkins. For some reason, her hand immediately went to her gun. She was grateful that she had left it holstered, but he'd tracked her involuntary movement with his eyes before refocusing on her face.
She did the same to him. His bruising had only gotten worse. His eye was swollen with dark, puffy splotches. His jaw was a combination of several shades of blues and purples under the scruff, making her want to cradle his head on her chest and provide ice to help with the pain and swelling.
When he gave her a look that said "Really, Em," she dropped her hand and focused on his hand that contained a large coffee and a giant bottle of Aleve.
"I see you're still alive." She was really concerned about him.
"Disappointed?"
"Did you ever go to the Urgent Care and get checked out?"
"I thoroughly checked him out," the cashier said, a young woman named Marissa, who stood staring at Sam like he'd both just saved and rocked her world.
Cedes didn't lower herself to respond to the blond. Instead, she waited for Sam to answer her question.
"I haven't had time yet," he said.
"Sure you haven't." She nodded and asked the question that she already knew the answer of: "Did you find the three assailants?"
"I now know where they aren't."
"That's a positive way to spin it." She turned around to look out into the parking lot. "You switched trucks and that's why we haven't picked you up yet."
"Don't bother running the tag on that one because I won't be driving it much longer." He said when he saw her staring at the silver business truck for his distillery.
"Don't worry, I am not wasting time on doing that because I'm taking you in right now."
"Sorry, Sheriff. I can't let you do that right now because I'm still looking for the men who attacked my best friend."
"Like we aren't looking for those men who did that to Chang."
"And how successful have you are your department ever been in tracking anyone down?"
"Well, in this case, we are doing the same as you."
After staring her down, he simply told her, "I'll be on my way."
She blocked his exit and her hand once again landed on her duty weapon. Her reflexes spoke more to her years of service than to any question about how dangerous Sam Evans was. He could be dangerous, just not to her.
"Are you really going to try to stop me, Em?" he asked sounding amused more so than intimidated.
"Only if you make me because you are not helping anyone by endangering yourself, I am taking you to the hospital." She tried to think of the best way to subdue him without injuring him more. She was just about to hope that he would allow her to use the plastic tie on her belt, when a loud crash distracted her from behind the counter.
Cedes looked over and jumped the counter to see Marissa having a seizure, her blond head thrown back, her arms stiff, and her back arched.
"Call 911!" she shouted to Sam while clearing the area of anything Marissa could hurt herself on. Then she pressed the TALK button on her mic when she realized Sam hadn't answered her.
She immediately got onto her feet to see that both the man and his truck were gone. When she looked back, Marissa was coming out of it. She had her knees drawn to her chest, and her hands were cradling her forehead.
Cedes knew the woman was acting but she decided to be safe than sorry. "Stay where you are. I'll call an ambulance."
Marissa's eyes widened, revealing Cedes' instincts were right. "Please don't, I just need some water. I'm much better now."
Cedes leaned closer to the woman who had just aided and abetted Sam. "Oh know, I insist and will personally call Wes to tell him that he needs somebody to take over your shift."
The young woman's expression told her everything Cedes needed to know and more. To get back at her, Marissa was going to the urgent care, and she'd have every test known to man run on her before the day was done if Cedes had anything to do with it. Or she could charge her with obstruction. So many choices, so few hours in the day.
By the time, Cedes finally got home, she saw all the lights were out at her parents' house, so she headed straight for her home and to a bathtub filled with her favorite bubbles while she drank a glass of wine and ate chocolates while relaxing to music. She needed this time alone to relax and unwind after the weekend she currently was having.
Thirty minutes later, squeaky clean and pissed off that Tank had texted her yet again, she'd sat on her sofa in a nightshirt, socks, and her second overfilled glass of wine. She opened her laptop to do some research on Mike Chang when a knock sounded at the door. She froze in apprehension. Surely he wouldn't. Surely that man didn't know where she lived.
She drained the glass of wine, then stood and walked to the door, fully prepared to confront Tank and tell him that their one date was also going to be their only date. Honestly, the nerve of the guy.
She did a quick scan of the room and made sure all of her strategically placed décor that served as lethal weapons should she or Gina ever need them were in place. A metal arrangement with razor-sharp, detachable leaves that were blades for stabbing and the flowers were throwing stars. An umbrella and cane in a stand that harbored swords. A Kleenex box with a cut out bottom that hid a Taser underneath it.
Her gun was not close to her because the first thing she did every time she entered the house was lock up her gun in her biometric gun safe. She had an additional safe with other firearms that was hidden. She had seen too many crime scenes when kids or thieves had got ahold of the resident's gun, she quickly went to the safe and was about to open it when she heard a familiar voice.
"It's only me," Hunter said outside the door. "You don't need to get your gun."
"What in the hell are you doing here?"
"Because I have something to tell you. Something I think you need to know. We need to stop pining after people we can't have and take a look at what's in front of us."
"I agree. What's in front of us though?" She said not thinking clearly because she had two glasses of wine.
"Each other."
"Each other?"
"Hunter and Mercedes. Just think about it. How long have we been friends?"
"Forever."
"And who do you love more than anybody else?"
"My daughter of course."
"Okay, besides Gina."
"My parents, duh."
"No, I mean, I know that, besides your family."
"Sam," she said, realizing she was more than a little tipsy. Alcohol always made her tell the truth.
"Besides Sam. Wait, you love Sam more than you love me?"
"Not more. Just differently."
"And where has that unrequited love gotten you lately?"
"Exactly nowhere."
"Maybe that's our problem. We are fixating on people we can't have to mask the fact that maybe deep down we're attracted to each other."
"Really deep down like as far down you can get." Cause Cedes never felt anything romantic about Hunter even though now he was attractive as a male super model.
"I think it's time to work out our true feelings for one another."
"My true feelings for you must be way deep down, I mean so far down they must be under the earth's crust."
"And maybe once we do that we can move on with other people."
"Like Hunt my feelings for you are almost nonexistent deep down because I am unsure that I am capable of having any other feelings for you."
"I could be the man of your dreams. What do you want in a relationship?"
"What everyone wants. Someone I can trust and love to share my life with who'll leave me alone when I need to be by myself and won't try to make moves on my gorgeous teenage daughter. Sometimes a girl child is not safe in a family of men. There are too many creepy men out there especially after hearing what Sander did to Stevie and possibly his own brother and other children."
"Who else fits that description besides me? I see Gina as my goddaughter, and if any man tried to touch her, I would kill him, including myself. The way I see it we're perfect for each other, we've just never given ourselves a chance."
"I think you just are horny and want sex."
"No, I am not, but I wouldn't turn you down."
"So, do you want to be friends with benefits?"
"Maybe."
Now she knew why her BFF was still single. He had no game at all. Cedes tried her best to look into his eyes.
"Why didn't we think of this before?" he asked.
"Because we've been best friends since kindergarten and having sex would very likely ruin a lifelong friendship?"
"Maybe. But maybe not. I think we've simply been in denial about our true feelings."
"I don't think so. There is only one person that I have ever wanted and loved. As long as you know that I will always love Sam, I'm willing to give it a shot if you are."
At that point, she'd be willing to do anything to lessen the constant longing—a.k.a., obsession—for Sam Evans who probably was screwing every single, available, and beautiful woman in Lima Springs on the regular. His entire fan club was probably a harem. The old saying was true anyways. The best way to get over a man is to get under another one.
"So, is tonight too soon?"
Butterflies stormed her belly much like WWII soldiers storming Normandy's beach. If she didn't have those kinds of feelings for Hunter somewhere deep down—way, way deep down—why would butterflies attack? Maybe he was right.
"You know what? Let's just do this."
He pumped his fist. "Yes, let's do this."
She looked down at her oversized nightshirt and the socks around her ankles. She'd pulled her braids hair into a ponytail and applied a mask that was, thankfully, invisible to the naked eye, besides giving her an unnatural shine. "You want to have a date night tonight with me dressed like this?"
"Most definitely." He lifted a cheap box of wine.
"I had no idea boxed wine was allowed to be sold in wine country."
"Yeah, don't tell the Caswells but it was all I had." He'd showered and obviously had a drink or two. Not enough to drive while intoxicated, but he obviously had some for liquid courage.
"Okay, then, do you want to watch a movie or do you just want to have sex."
He put the wine on the kitchen table and poured them both a glass. "Whatever you want to do."
After drinking her third glass of wine and watching him down his probable second one as they ignored the movie on her television, she was like it was either have sex or get drunk. Or was she already drunk?
He drank another glass of wine and she wondered if he was nervous.
After they finished the entire box of wine, she was floating. She couldn't ever remember feeling so carefree.
"We need to set some ground rules if we have sex tonight," he said and she nodded her head, feeling a strong buzz already taking hold.
"You are going to come first."
"What? No. Why? What about you?"
"Honey, don't worry about me. I can blow my load in less than five seconds."
"It takes a weird man to admit that."
"You aren't like the other women I have slept with."
"Because I am actually black or human?"
"Stop. Those women had an agenda for being with me. I just … I want this to be good for you."
She only nodded. Maybe if she closed her eyes she could pretend he was Sam.
He lifted her onto his lap and they started kissing. Even imaging him as Sam was not working. She turned her head.
He immediately began kissing her behind her ear.
It was enough to make her forget where she put her senses again. To throw caution to the wind. For the protest that had formed on the tip of her tongue to tell him to stop to vanish.
"What is this junk on your face?"
"Oh, yeah, that's a mask. You don't want to ingest that."
Her mouth covered his lips again to shut him up. She had to pretend he was Sam and his voice was a no even though Hunt was everything a girl could want. Insanely handsome. Amazing body. Fantastic personality. Had a job. Didn't beat women or animals. A girl would be crazy not to desire him, which had her questioning her sanity when she broke off the kiss again.
But she pulled back at the same time he did. They looked at each other, the hopelessness of the situation sinking in.
Then a thought hit her. "Maybe we need to take off our shirts."
"Of course!" He said as she took off her sleeping shirt and realized she wasn't wearing a bra only her panties underneath. She stopped thinking about herself when she saw how hot he was with his shirt off. His chest and arm muscles were similar to Sam's.
They kissed all the way to her bedroom bumping into furniture. She may have heard a crash or two, but she couldn't be certain. His hand were teasing her nipples, and it felt good. She had to admit it, and yet …
They stopped again.
The look in his eyes was filled with admiration as he stared at her breasts, her face, and then her breasts again. "You are so beautiful, Mercy."
She ran her hands over his biceps. "So are you, Hunt, but…"
"But…"
"We need to stop this."
"Now we know," he said, almost sadly.
"Now we know; who are you trying to get over?"
"What?" he asked, coming out of a trance he'd been in.
"Who are you really pining after?"
"It doesn't matter."
"Of course it does. Is it Jay?"
There had been an instant attraction between the two, but as far as Cedes knew, neither had acted upon it.
"No, Mercy. She's all kinds of gorgeous, but …"
"But you had already given your heart to someone else before meeting her."
"You might say that."
"When?"
"You've been gone a long time." He tried to avoid telling her who it was.
"Wait, it's not my mother is it?"
He laughed. "No, though I have to admit, if not for your father, I would've married that woman years ago, and been your stepdaddy." He got up and took his pants off. Every time that boy got drunk, his clothes came off. "It's really too bad."
"What is?"
"That you're missing out. I could've made the heavens open up and you would have heard the angels sing tonight."
"You're that good?"
"I would've made you question everything you know and feel about the S-word."
"Sex?"
"Sam. You'd never be the same again."
"I do love you, you know."
"And, I love you, too, Merciless. In so many ways." He leaned forward and kissed her again, his mouth warm and pliant against hers.
"Kissing you is a major turn off."
"What?" He asked because he obviously didn't feel the same.
"Instead of making me hot it makes me ice cold."
"Yeah, well you drool and snore when you sleep."
"Damn," she said even though she already knew this. "Was that what kept my panties on?"
He burst out laughing. "Honey, if my standards were that high, I would never date at all."
"Who is she?" she asked him one last time before letting the darkness overtake her. She thought she heard a name whispered on his breath but couldn't be certain if that was the name he said because it was unbelievable.
That night she dreamed of rain. She could hear it on the tin roof, but they were safe inside. The area was cramped, but she didn't care. That just meant he had to be that much closer to her.
Hands caressed her back. Slid over her behind. Cupped her breasts. Played with her nipples. Hands she'd wanted to be caressed by for so long she could hardly believe it was actually happening.
Sitting on top of him, she leaned back and gazed into Sam Evans' green eyes. So exquisitely real, but he was younger. She was younger. She had run into him while staying late at school and decorating for the Homecoming Dance that would be later that evening. They took refuge from the downpour inside his old truck. He'd graduated last year and had left Lima Springs for college, but he'd come back for the Homecoming football game, and simply rocked her world when he talked to her and appeared to want to be with her.
Lightning flashed bright and hot to reveal his gaze as it slid over her. He pulled her face down to his and pressed her mouth to his. Brushing his fingers between her legs. He was telling her all the things, she dreamt he would tell her. That she was beautiful. That he wanted her for so long. His words and his touch were drugging her to the extent that she was willing to lose her virginity to him in his truck in public and didn't care at all.
She'd never felt anything like it since the first time he touched her there. Heat flooded her like a tidal wave of molten lava. It pooled in her belly and throbbed with a sensation so exquisite, she had to bite her lip to keep from gasping aloud. Then his hands were at the waistband of her jeans. The button. The zipper.
Cool air rushed over her when he peeled them off only to be replaced by the warmth of his palms. Long fingers spread her apart and pressed inside, and that familiar pressure formed in the distance. Each time he brushed his thumb over her clit, the pressure grew, coming closer and closer. He bent his head and drew a nipple into his mouth.
A knock sounded on the truck's window. She tried to look, but he kissed her again. Pushed deeper. Rubbed faster. She sucked in his warm breath, and he laid her back on the seat, parting her legs with the expanse of his shoulders. Then his tongue, like liquid fire, slid over her clit. She grabbed handfuls of hair, unable to keep the climax from rocketing toward her.
The knock sounded again.
"Mom?"
Cedes jerked awake and regretted it instantly. Pain exploded in her head, making her dizzy and nauseous. The bed dipped as her daughter sat beside her. Cedes scooted back to give her more room, only to run into something beneath the covers. Something large and warm snored softly beside her, and since she didn't own a dog, she could only guess who was still in her bed.
She fought the urge to slam a hand over her face. Instead, she fluffed up her bedspread to camouflage the lump, pried open her eyes, and looked up into the adorable, angelic face of her child.
"You're going to be late for work," Gina said, still in her pajamas. "But if you have a minute, can I talk to you?"
"Of course," Cedes croaked.
"Here." Gina handed her something cool and round. A glass.
Cedes pushed it away until she heard two plops and a fizz. God bless her.
"When will you learn not to mix red and white wine?" the little heifer asked her.
"How do you know—"
"Can we talk woman to woman?"
Cedes struggled onto an elbow and took a sip of the bubbly liquid. Then she remembered once again who was under the covers with her and the adrenaline rush churned her stomach.
She had to be cool. Maybe her one-and-only offspring couldn't make out the huge lump in her bed. He was on his stomach, so he was semi-flat against the mattress.
"How did you know you were pregnant?"
Cedes' eyes open and a loud gasp echoed in the room.
Gina laughed so hard she fell back on the bed beside Cedes.
"Regina Grace," Cedes groaned. "You are pure evil."
"Duh. I inherited my evil ways from you." She reached over her mom and lifted the covers and looked at the man in her mother's bed.
"Good morning, Hunter," she said.
"Good morning, Gina. This isn't what it looks like." He tried to explain.
"I think now would be the perfect time to remind you what a great kid I am. And how I would never judge you for getting drunk and sleeping with your best friend."
"I didn't sleep with him," Cedes said.
"Technically, we did sleep together, but we definitely didn't have sex," Hunter concurred.
"Sure Hunter." She leaned in, kissed Cedes on the cheek, then bounced out, yelling back, "I get to shower first!"
Cedes grabbed her head before it fell off, and sat up, horrified. "I'm going to kill that child."
"You can't kill her for being your mini-me."
She looked him in the eyes. "That giant child is nothing like little old me. I would never have done something that evil to my hungover mother."
"Oh, please." He rolled over and sat up. "You have done worse, do you remember the chainsaw incident."
"No," she said, trying to sit up as well, but her head started spinning faster and faster. "That was totally different."
"Your poor mother had nightmares for almost a year."
She ignored him. "I can't believe last night happened."
"Which parts of it?"
"All of it. And now Gina? She's going to tell my mom who will tell my dad."
"I'm not a snitch, Mom!" Gina yelled from her room.
Cedes grabbed her head again and looked at Hunter. "Are you okay?"
"You know I can hold my liquor." The second the words left his mouth, he bent over the side of the bed and vomited into into the trash can there.
That time, Cedes did follow suit. Minus the trash can.
An hour later, Gina emerged from her room like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon as she headed for the coffeepot. "Is Hunter gone?" she was oddly happy almost manic in glee.
The little shit looked stunning in a navy blue tunic blouse over black leggings.
Cedes squeezed her eyes shut. She had never even brought a man home to meet Gina. She tried to date in the past and never got to the third date with any man but Shane. And because she wasn't ready to sleep with him after the seventh date, he had told her she had commitment issues. And now this?
Way to mom, Mercedes.
"Yes, he's gone, ladybug," she said feeling almost human again after that most magic of potions known as Alka-Seltzer had done the trick. That combined with a hot shower, coconut water, fried eggs, and a little black coffee, and Cedes was almost good as new.
One thing the potion hadn't shaken off was the dream she'd had about Sam. Her dreams were so vivid lately, and this one was no exception.
She heard the front door open and a scream quickly followed.
"Mom!"
Cedes ran into the living room to see Gina stepping back from Minnie Jones. She immediately ran to her daughter and gasped before shielding Gina from what Minnie had in her hands.
"What is wrong with you two?" her mother asked. "June Dalloway sent over a basket of donuts to me."
The largest basket ever seen. A basket that made the one they got four months ago look like a miniature dollhouse version.
"I'm really scared, Mom."
"I am too, bug. I really am."
Minnie looked down and studied the basket of donuts in her hands, her expression suddenly wary. "Are you two punking me?"
Cedes shook her head which was the wrong thing to do and headed for the microwave to reheat her coffee before heading out.
"June said to make sure you two got a few before that husband of mine finishes all of them off, so I thought I was doing you a favor."
"Please don't do me any more favors," Cedes begged.
"Mrs. Dalloway is so nice," Gina said. "But I wonder what horrible thing is going to happen next, though."
Minnie took a look at her around and already saw overturned furniture and was that broken glass? She chose to ignore it all. "What do you mean?"
"Mom, you and all of Lima Springs County have to know that June's donuts are cursed."
Minnie sighed. "I can't believe that you two believe that ridiculous rumor."
"Believe it," Cedes and Gina said at the exact same time.
"Because they are cursed, GeeGee. Seb's mother slipped a disc after she got only one small basket. And Natalie broke both her legs and both her arms exactly thirty minutes after a medium size basket of them showed up on her doorstep." Gina picked up her backpack, then thought again. "Of course, that only happened because she and her little brother were fighting over it, and he pushed her down the stairs."
"Wow." Minnie Jones said as she set the basket on the kitchen table. "Can you tell me why Hunter's cruiser was parked in the drive so early this morning?"
Cedes started coughing uncontrollably.
"I would tell you, everything, GeeGee," Gina said, heading out the door. "But snitches get stitches and wind up in ditches."
"What does that even mean?"
"It means," Cedes said, "I raised my daughter right." She gave her mother a quick kiss on the cheek, then left the woman standing in her kitchen, shaking her head.
"How are things going with only one more month of school left?"
"Okay," she said with a shrug. "Team Lily still talks about me behind my back."
"Honeybun, don't worry about people who talk behind your back. They're behind you for a reason."
"That's really good. Did you just make that up?"
"No. I read it from a fortune cookie."
"Ah. I am sure if it was your version it would have been if people talk about you behind your back, make sure you fart in their faces."
"I don't know about that. I probably would say that's okay but if they do it in front your face then make them eat your shoelaces."
"I know what you are avoiding talking about, and I don't mind, Hunter is very hot. I don't blame you for wanting to tap that."
She couldn't argue that. "That's not what I am avoiding. Do you want to talk about it?"
"About you and Hunter probably making me a sibling?"
"I know how it looked, but..."
"It looked to me like you have no room to talk to me about anything," Gina said, a satisfied smirk on her face.
"Really? Why?"
"You had a boy in your room. I had a boy in my room. I say we are even."
"I'd like to tell you that you have a very valid argument."
"Thank you very much."
"I'd like to tell you that," she corrected, "but I won't, because you don't."
"Why? It seems logical to me. And Ricky and I weren't even naked."
"Okay, first of all we were not completely naked, and second of all nothing happened."
"I saw your upper torso," she reminded Cedes.
"I know. We did have our tops off, but that's all." Cedes had to let Gina in on the truth that she and Hunter had not gone all the way. She wouldn't tell her that kissing Hunter was about as romantic as being kissed by a dog, but she didn't want her daughter believing a lie.
"I just want to make sure you understand nothing happened. I wouldn't lie to you about something like that."
"Exactly! We're on the same page here, Mom. Nothing happened with Ricky and me either. I can get out here."
"Oh, no you don't."
"I was so close," Gina said, collapsing dramatically against the door.
"Now that you think you're old enough to have boys in your bedroom—"
"One boy, Mom. One."
"—I think we need to have the talk."
"We had the talk, Mom. We've actually had the talk several times throughout my life, and it never gets any less uncomfortable."
"This one is different." The kid had a boy in her room. She had to know there'd be consequences.
"You say that every time!"
"Since we're on the subject of you getting pregnant—"
"What?" Gina screeched. "We weren't on any subject."
"—I've realized I've been putting off this conversation long enough."
Gina paled. "You really haven't."
"I feel now is the right time."
"It really isn't."
"We need to discuss the pushpin of pleasure."
Gina paused and tilted her head to the side. "Pushpin of pleasure?"
"You know. The button of bliss. The clit."
"Oh. My. God."
"Also known as the devil's doorbell."
"I'm going to need so much therapy."
"Lucifer's little knob."
"Have you been reading those Mormon pamphlets again?"
"Now, for future reference, you can rub on the pushpin of pleasure any time you want to when you are alone."
"I am running away and joining the circus."
"You, and only you have that right. Ricky Lopez-Bowen doesn't have the privilege to push your pushpin ever."
"Or go into witness protection." She put her hands over her ears. "Mom, I can't hear this."
"Your button of bliss is off-limits to him and any boy until you're thirty-three."
"There should be a test to find out how mentally ill your parents are."
"Hey. I'm totally sane."
"Only the insane think they are totally sane."
Someone honked behind her, so she turned on her emergency lights.
Gina's head fell into her hand. The final nail in the coffin.
"And for the record," Cedes said, "the next time you have a boy in your room, I'm going to put bars on the windows. Understood?"
"Understood." She glanced out the window, her countenance changing like the northern California weather. "Is he really okay, Mom?"
"I don't know if he is. That wine did a number on both of us."
"I'm talking about Sam," she said.
"He'll be fine. He's Sam, apparently Lima Spring's answer to Superman."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
Gina leaned over and hugged her, then she hurried out without another word.
It would have ended there, except she had forgotten her backpack.
Cedes grabbed it and rushed after her.
"Ladybug," she called. "Regina," she said a little louder.
Gina stopped and looked back at last. Cedes caught up to her just inside the building and was surprised to see a tears between her daughter's eyelashes.
"Oh, baby," she said, pulling her into a hug. "It's Sam. He'll be okay. He always is, right?"
She nodded.
Cedes looked over Gina's head at a couple of girls pointing at them and laughing. She recognized one of them as the girl who'd planned and aired a news program about her and Gina when Gina had first started school in Lima Springs. Cedes also knew the girl had made it her personal mission in life to make Gina's life a living hell. If not for Ricky, Stevie, Ashlyn and Kourtney, Gina would be miserable at Lima Springs High.
Cedes was willing to ignore the minor, until she looked straight at Cedes not caring that she was an adult wearing a sheriff's uniform and gave her the most condescending sneer ever.
Cedes' blood pressure skyrocketed. "Did that little white girl just sneer at me?"
Gina looked over her shoulder. "That's Lily Lynn. She looks that way at everyone who's not in her clique."
Gina stared back at the girl until Lily's sneer faltered and the girl turned away.
"See?" Gina said. "She's only powerful to the minions that follow her."
Cedes hugged her daughter. "She's very vindictive, though. Be careful with her and be willing to take her to the carpet fighting dirty if necessary. Don't let her bully you."
"Don't worry mom, there's nothing she can do to me now." Gina said knowing that with Ricky by her side, that Lily would be crazy to try something else.