Free Red, White and Beautiful by Bec Botefuhr

thisgame,Chayne.”
    Shesmirksatme,thenturnsandwalkstowardsthedoor.Whenshe reachesit,shelooksoverhershoulderatme.“Sametoyou,lover.”
    Thenshe’sgone.Goddammit.Godfuckingdammit.

    ~*~*~*~*
    SIERRA
    “Yourparents?”Isay,poppingapieceofhoneychickenintomy mouth.
    Marcussmilesoveratme,hislipsdoingthatsexycurlthing.
    “Yes,tomorrow.”
    “Youwantmetocomeouttoyourparents’housefortheweekend?
    I’mnotsosurethat’sagoodidea,Marcus.”
    Hesmilesatmeagain.Hecamehomeinabadmood,butafterone hellofapowerfuckagainstthewall,hecamedownfromit.Thenhe proceededtotellmehewantstotakemehomethisweekendtohis parents’house.Hisparentswhostilldon’tknowhe’snotwithChayne.
    Hisparentswhoprobablydon’twanttomeetthewomanwhohascaused himsomanyproblems.Ireallydon’tthinkit’sagoodidea,butfromthe lookonMarcus’face,he’snotgoingtotakenoforananswer,soItry anothertactic.
    “Doyouthinkit’swisetakingmeouttherewhenyou’regoing throughallthisstuffwithChayne?”
    Grinning,heleansforwardandchucksmeunderthechin.“Nicetry, sweetheart,butit’shappening,evenifIhavetodragyoukickingand screaming.”
    SighingImurmur,“YouhavetoadmitImakeagoodpoint?”
    “Perhapsso,butChayneknowswhatI’mtryingtodoandI’mgoing todealwithher,butI’mnotgoingtohideyouforanylonger.”
    “Chayneknows?”
    “Yes.”
    “Sincewhen?”
    “Sinceshecameinandtoldmeshewasgoingtofightmeonit,this afternoon.”
    “OhMarcus,”Isay,searchinghisgaze.“Thisisunfairandnotwhat youwanted,I’msorry.”
    Hestrokeshisthumbovermylowerlip.“You’reallIwant,Sierra,I don’tcarewhatChaynethreatensmewith,shecantryashardasshe wants.”
    “Youdidn’tthinkthatafewweeksago,whynow?”
    “BecausenowI’vegotsomethingworthfightingfor.”
    Andwiththat,therewasnolongerafightinme.Iknewexactlywhat Iwanted,howIwanteditandwhen.I’ddoanythingittooktokeep Marcusandmakethisworkbetweenus,evenifitmeantmeetinghis parents.So,Iguessit’stimetofacemynewlife,andeveryoneinit.

CHAPTER8
SIERRA

    ThedriveouttoMarcus’parents’ranchisslowandboring,theylive agoodfivehoursawayfromus,butheadingoutthecountryisagood breakawayfromallthedramainthecity.IkeepwatchingMarcusashe drives,inaweseeinghimbehindthewheellookingso…normal.Hegives meagrineverynowandthen,andIcanseehe’strulyexcitedaboutthis.
    Heloveshisfamily,thatmuchisclearbythewayhespeaksaboutthem, butseeinghimsohappymakesitsomuchmorereal.Meontheother hand,I’msodamnednervousmystomachisdoingstupidlittleflipflops.
    Iamgoingovertheusual‘whatiftheydon’tlikeme?’or‘whatif theydidn’tlikehisbreakupwithChayne?’Ican’thelpit,he’sbarelyout ofhislastrelationshipandalreadyhe’stakinganotherwomanhome.A womanwholikelyisblamedforthebreakup.I’lltakemypartinittoo,I knowthatwhatIdidwaswrong,regardlessofChayne’sbehavior.I fumblemyfingerstogethernervouslyasIletthethoughtsoverridemy headandcompletelydistractmefromthebeautifulsceneryweare passing.Marcusreachesover,jerkingmefrommythoughts.Hetakesmy handandrubshisthumbinslowcirclesovermypalm.
    “It’sgoingtobefine,sweetheart,they’llloveyou.”
    Igrunt,veryunladylikeIknow,butit’stheonlyresponsethatseems fit.“Howcantheyloveme?Ihadanaffairwithatakenmanandnow he’sbringingmehometomeethisfamily.”
    “Theydidn’tlikeChayne,Itoldyouthat.”
    “Thatdoesn’tautomaticallymeanthey’lllikemeeither.”
    “Maybenot,”hesays,lettinggoofmyhandandrunninghishand throughhismessydarkhair.“Butit’sworthatry,right?Iwantyouto meetthem.”
    “AndIwanttomeetthem,butifitallgoeswrongouthere…”
    “Itwon’t,Ipromise.”
    “Marcus…”
    “Sierra,youhavetostopworrying.Iwouldn’ttakeyouhomeifI didn’tthinkmyparentswouldloveyou,ok?”
    Inod,it’sthebestresponseIhaveforhimrightnow.Tellinghimmy fearsisn’tgoingtochangethemiftheycometolife,Ijusthavetosuckit upandplasterasmileonmyface.Icanmeetparents,I’vemetparents before.I’msureit’llbefine.I’msurethey’relovelyandthisworrying wasallfornothing.Ifthey’reanythinglikeMarcus,they’llbeamazing people.FromwhatMarcushastoldme,they are amazingpeople.Istare