“Yeah. I bet a bunch of these ladies wish they were wondering how to pay their bills while protecting their brother and fending off unwanted advances from their boss’s boss’s boss.” She huffed at him.
And then shook her head. The ex-wife had warned her to be careful, but that response had not been.
“Really?” Lad’s eyed sparked with anger. “We’ll see about that. How about you protect your brother right here, right now? Kiss me, Fallen. And my ex-wife is here. Let’s make her believe you love every second of it.”
Now she’d wished she’d kept her mouth shut. His lips curled in a cruel smirk.
“There’s got to be something else. I’m not ready for that.” She felt less strong than when her tongue had taken off with her common sense seconds ago.
“When you were panting on the bed in room 514, you seemed like you were more than ready for a whole lot more than a kiss.” He pursed his lips meanly.
He’d seen her reaction to Thomas’ dream touches in reality, and that was mortifying.
“I’m sure you can be a little less of a cowering virgin with me here and now.” Orbit puffed out his chest. Fallen tried to spin out of his arms, but he held tight. “Now, now. I gave you a task.”
She looked everywhere, but she was out of options. She could make a scene and flail around, but then she was fired, and her brother was framed.
“You’re not nice, Mr. Orbit.” She met his lips with hers.
He held her hard so she had to continue the kiss far longer than she wanted to. When the length had gotten way outside of appropriate, she turned her head.
“Not bad. All in a good day’s work, Fallen.” He released her, grabbed her upper arm again, and headed toward their table. “Get your stuff; we’re leaving.”
She grabbed the two boxes and her purse and stutter-stepped to keep up with him. His neck was red, the veins bulging.
A waitress caught up to them and handed Fallen a sparkly gift sack. She stuffed the boxes inside and tossed in her purse as well.
When they were outside, Mr. Orbit held his valet ticket between his first finger and his middle finger like he was calling a cab. The valet scurried over and was very polite, but he didn’t respond. Fallen watched him fearfully.
“Where are we going?” She hazarded the question while they were still in public, because once in his fancy car, she wasn’t sure he would answer. Hell, she wasn’t sure he would impart any information now.
“Your house is empty, according to what you told me earlier. We’re going there to work on your manners, and your respect.” He bit off his words, and Fallen recoiled. She looked around, but everyone else was either smoking a cigarette or waiting for the valet and seemed not to have heard—or cared—what he said.
She jerked her arm from his hand and hugged herself. It was cold, and she should have had a jacket. He turned to give her a harsh look.
“I’m cold,” she snapped. The Jaguar came around, and he hopped in on his side while the valet held open the passenger door.
“Everything all right, miss?” He looked at her as Mr. Orbit began to complain to the other valet about how long it had taken him to retrieve the car.
“Thank you,” she said, though she desperately wanted to say no. No, this angry man is driving me to an empty house, and his ex-wife just warned me against him. But she settled for thank you, because there was nothing to be done, and she appreciated that he would check on her.
The ride to her house was silent, save the occasional blinker clicking and the rev of the engine.
Fallen didn’t wait for him to open her door after he pulled the car to a stop in her driveway. She was out and striding toward her front door, thinking about how she could get in and close the door on him, when he wrapped her in a bear hug, pulling her back against his chest.
“Not so fast. I told you we needed this kiss to happen a little more explicitly.” He was deadly calm as she struggled. “That doesn’t bother me at all.”
Fallen stopped trying to get free and waited for him to let her go. His hands had clasped together right under her breasts, and he used his thumbs to graze the underside of them through the fabric of her dress. She decided right then she wasn’t on board with putting out for him because he demanded it.
Let him do what he would—fire her, try to frame Fenn. She and her brother would make something make sense.
“We’re going inside, and you’re going to smile at me the whole time. Do you hear me?” he said.
The tone of his voice was a mixture of professor and attacker. She was about to tell him he could stick his dick in his own asshole because she was so, so done when her mother—of all people—interrupted them.
“Well, look what the cat dragged in,” Nora called, stepping out of the shadows on the front porch.
She didn’t seem drunk, which felt a little like a miracle in itself, and her timing had Fallen grateful for her presence for the first time in God knew how many years.
Fallen felt Lad release his hold on her.
“Is this a new boyfriend?” Nora prattled. “Now that’s what I’m talking about.”
She waltzed up to Fallen and gave her an air kiss on each cheek like they never did.
“I’m Nora Billow, Fallen’s mother. And you are?” She held out her hand.
Lad took her hand and nodded. “Hello, Nora. Funny, Fallen’s never mentioned you.”
Nora gave her daughter a thinly veiled sneer. “We have some differences.”
Nora touched the fancy bag Fallen held. “Presents? So thoughtful of him. With this car and these outfits, I do hope you went somewhere exquisite.”
Fallen held the bag out of Nora’s reach. Her mother went on her tiptoes and lightly touched the tiara on her head. “Jewelry already? Well, this relationship is moving along.”
Lad put his arm around Fallen, and she shrugged it off.
Nora’s eyes flashed. “Please excuse my daughter’s manners.”
Fallen decided to make the most of her mother’s appearance and turned to face her date. “This is where our night ends, Mr. Orbit.”
He looked her up and down, clicking his tongue. “Very good then. I’ll see you at work on Monday.”
Nora did her best to be charming and hopeful as she wished him a safe ride home. Fallen was already on her way upstairs. She’d tucked the watch and the tiara away in an old backpack when she heard the front door slam.
After closing her door and punching the knob lock, Fallen left her mother to face the fake wood from the hallway as she complained immediately that Fallen was ruining the chance of a lifetime.
The zipper got stuck as Fallen tried to take off her gown. It was the simplest thing, but it broke her. She turned and slid down her door as her mother pounded on the other side. She let herself just cry.
···
By the time she had gathered herself and changed into leggings and a T-shirt, Nora had moved downstairs to the kitchen. Fallen walked in and folded her arms, leaning against the counter.
“Need money, Nora?”
“Really? Can’t I come into my own home? Say hello to my children?” Nora had a tall glass of milk and a cigarette.
Fallen did the math in her head. She decided that the money for a pack of cigarettes and the milk Nora was drinking could easily have bought Fenn two meals.
“You could. But it’s 11 o’clock on Saturday night—not the usual time for a drop by. Also, I’ve asked you not to, and you never do anyway. Did Fritz kick you out? You want money. And I’m just exhausted. Tell me how much it takes to get you out of here.”
Fallen meant it. This day had dashed her hopes more times than she could count. Her dignity had been compromised far too much, and she was pretty sure she’d just started a war with a millionaire.
Nora took another drag and a sip of milk after she’d exhaled. The combination turned Fallen’s stomach.
“Fritz and I are fine. He went to visit family in Virginia. Well, if you haven’t screwed up your relationship wit
h good ol’ Lad there, how much are we talking?”
Addiction was here now too. It usually waited until Nora’s defenses were down to take the reins. It must be getting stronger. Bolder.
“Your daughter was being molested against her will in the driveway. But by all means, if we can get a full bottle of vodka into your hands, let’s do that.”
“Against your will? How is that even possible?” Nora scoffed. “You were on a date. You accepted jewelry. You must have wanted him a little.” She walked to the sink and poured the rest of her glass of milk down the drain.
Fallen bit the insides of her cheeks and lifted her chin. She was all cried out for today. The idea that Nora believed being on a date equaled consent made her grateful she wasn’t her mother anymore.
“You need to leave.” Fallen pointed at the front door.
“How dare you? This is my home.” Nora became indignant.
“Okay. You pay the mortgage, then, so I can stop wondering if Fenn and I are getting kicked out.” She stepped closer to Nora, backing her up against the wall. “Do you know that people are scoping out this house because it’s in foreclosure? They’re sizing it up for auction. And then where will Fenn and I go?” She threw her hands in the air.
Nora looked away, pouting, defiant.
Finally, Fallen stepped back and tried reason, even though she knew Addiction didn’t speak that language. “If I give you the money I earn, I can’t keep Fenn fed. I can’t keep him warm. Have enough motherhood left inside you to respect that doing those things is important. Please.” Fallen stepped back. “’Cause having to say no to you hurts me on so many levels. I miss who you’re supposed to be. I need who you were before you drank. Sleep here, if you have to—on the couch, please. And be gone before Fenn gets home in the morning.”
Nora hung her head then, at least. Fallen checked the front door and made sure to take her purse upstairs. She returned with a threadbare blanket and pillow for her mother who had sprawled out on the couch.
“Here. Sit up a little.” She tucked the pillow under Nora’s head before spreading the blanket over her mother’s thin form.
“You’ll make a great mother someday, Fallen. Even if that Lad isn’t the guy for you.” Nora patted her hand.
Fallen nodded and left Nora in the living room. She trudged upstairs and curled up in her bed with her arms through her backpack and purse. Nora knew how to pick the lock on her bedroom door.
···
The next morning, Nora was gone. No note, no explanation, but Lad was no doubt bait for Addiction, so she’d likely be back. Being Sunday, Fallen had no access to a computer because the library was closed. She just had to be a normal person, not someone searching for dream guys on the internet—which sounded terrible in her head when she put it to herself like that.
Fenn was home before lunch, and Fallen had just finished cleaning. She was shocked how much she resented doing it at home now that it was her profession. Well, she’d never been crazy about it, but she’d had pride when the place looked nice. Now she was methodical with the cleaning, and it just felt like more hotel rooms.
Fenn complemented the work she’d done and immediately began to pitch in. She didn’t bring up the ball or their mother, preferring to see a relaxed look on his face. For dinner they had ziti, topped with a jar of sauce and a side of orange slices. Although they didn’t fit as a composed meal, she figured vitamins were vitamins, and it was okay if dinner didn’t make sense as long as it accomplished her goal of getting some healthy stuff into Fenn.
Together they watched a singing competition on one of the three free channels they could get on the TV. They both loved listening to music, but neither could hold a note. Still, it was fun. Then Fallen asked about his homework, which sent him to his room for about an hour before he returned, holding a permission slip.
“Hey, can I get Mom to sign this? We’re going to a mock jury demonstration at Poughkeepsie High School.” He gave her a pen.
Fallen forged her mother’s name, even adding the slight tremor the woman now had due to her years of drinking for believability’s sake.
“I should have asked her to sign it this morning, but I forgot. I even had my backpack with me.” Fenn took the paper and folded it along the line back and forth until he could rip it neatly by bracing it against the coffee table’s edge.
“You saw Nora this morning?” Fallen wished her words hadn’t sounded so accusatory.
Fenn cleared his throat. “Yeah. Sorry about that. She stopped by Bill’s house.” He fidgeted.
“And she said?”
“She asked who my sponsor was for my football gear and stuff.” He folded the paper again and tucked it in the pocket of his jeans. She noted the action so she would be sure to check his pocket before doing the laundry.
“How’d she find out about that, I wonder? Did you tell her?” Fallen asked.
“No. I guess she saw it in the paper. Coach put it in there and had me write a thank-you letter. So they would see it.” Fenn smiled.
“Oh, that’s great to say thanks,” she agreed.
“She also said she thinks she knows who it is—the sponsor.” Fenn cracked his knuckles.
And then Fallen knew. Nora had put the rich man from last night together with the sponsorship. Her mother was crafty. Well, Addiction was.
“Hmm…” she said absently.
“Your new boyfriend?” Fenn rocked from his toes to his heels.
“Not my boyfriend. Just my boss from work. He likes to make it look like he cares about the employees.” She stood, reluctant to put an end to the weekend and dreading seeing Mr. Orbit again.
“Everything all right?” Fenn squinted at her.
“Yeah. It’s fine. No worries.” She patted his shoulder on her way past him to her bedroom.
“Well, if he needs a beat down, remember you can always let me know. You’ve got a football player on your side now.” Fenn locked the front door before loping up the stairs behind her.
“I know. It feels amazing to have you and your team at my beck and call.”
Fenn flicked the lights off after they reached the top. “You know, Mom looked really good this morning.”
Fallen turned to face her brother. “She wasn’t drunk, which is nice.” She searched his face. Too late. The hope had returned. He wanted a recovery for Nora so badly. She had to caution him, and that hurt.
“It’s got to be more than a few days sober for me to be comfortable with her living here again.”
“She slept here last night. That’s something. You let her in, right? She’s our mom. I mean, can we leave her on the streets? I don’t think it’s working out with that guy she was seeing.” Fenn’s eyes pleaded with her.
Nora had put him up to asking. Fallen would have bet her good bra on it. She wanted to say, Well, she’d have you in the streets already if Addiction had driven you both on the deluxe crash course it had set when I had to come back from college. But that would just be hurtful, and it wouldn’t change anything. She didn’t want to fight with him.
“How about we think about it. If she’s doing good, let’s not mess with that process. We’ll see how far she can get, and if it continues to go well, we’ll talk to her about coming back.” Fallen didn’t love the idea, but if Nora was really starting on a road to recovery, Fallen had to be a soft landing place, didn’t she? But Nora hadn’t seemed particularly serious about making a change last night. Sober or not, she’d just needed someplace to be.
“Sounds great. Goodnight, sis.”
She nodded before closing herself into her room. On her next day off, she would go to the pawn shop and see what she could get for the party favors from the charity ball.
Tomorrow was another day closer to Thursday.
Chapter 11
Honeymoon is Over
Fallen got to work on Monday just in time to see Mr. Orbit discussing something furiously with Melanny. She hung up her coat and punched in her employee code to register as present for the
day. She was just a few minutes late, having snuck into the business center in the hotel to email Orbit’s ex-wife. The short message had basically said tell me more.
Now she settled in for the meeting and bit her bottom lip when Mr. Orbit pinned her with a glare.
“Ms. Billow? Hair up is policy.” He pointed to her head.
“O…kay?” She dug in her purse and found a hair tie. He crossed his arms and watched as she gathered her hair into a ponytail for the first time in weeks.
The housekeepers from 8 and 9 abruptly needed to suppress the giggles.
When the meeting was over, Fallen left with the rest of the crew to get her cart.
“Honeymoon’s over now, I guess.” 9 elbowed Fallen as she pushed past.
Fallen waited until everyone else was out of the supply closet before getting her cart. She was relieved to find all her tools and chemicals still in place. As she rolled out, Mr. Orbit and Melanny waited for her. Fallen slowed her cart to give them her attention.
“Mr. Orbit wanted me to tell you that you’ll need to work on Sunday, but you’ll have Thursday off this week.”
Her stomach dropped. Not Thursday. Her fear and disappointment produced a reply before her common sense could kick in. “Why?”
Mr. Orbit stepped forward. “I requested it. You’ll be busy on Thursday. All day.”
She nodded and looked at her cart’s wheels.
Melanny was not thrilled. “And I get to work on Thursday to do your floor. I haven’t had to clean in a room in about 20 years.” She glared at both of them before stomping away.
Fallen felt a headache coming on. “What do you think I have to do all day Thursday?”
Mr. Orbit came close enough that she could smell his cologne. “You need some time away to think about what you’ve done. And how you can make it up to me. Also, today Desta’s making my bed.”
That got a rise out of Fallen. “You’re adding to her work load? I’ll do it.”
“You like posing for our pictures, don’t you?” He nodded with his words like he knew the answer already.