Free WILD (Naked, Book 3) by Kelly Favor Page A

with you in the beginning…”
    “Caelyn, just stop it,” her mother said. Her voice was flat, icy cold. “Just stop trying to manipulate me. Your sister told us everything.”
    “What did Deena tell you?” Caelyn asked, suddenly knowing that it really had been far too easy to get her purse back from Deena.
    “How dare you bring that lowlife criminal into our home?”
    “Mom, Deena asked me to bring him in, and that’s the truth. He was in the car—
    “
    “I’m done, Caelyn. I don’t know what’s happened to you, I don’t know why you’re doing the things you’re doing. But when you bring that man into our home and threaten our daughter until she hands you over what you want…”
    “I never threatened her.”
    “The two of you intimidated her. She was terrified, when I got home—she was nearly having a nervous breakdown. It took hours to get out of her what had happened, she was so afraid of retribution.”
    Caelyn couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it.
    “I’m glad you think this is something funny. Why should I be surprised?”
    “It’s not funny, Mom, it’s ridiculous. We never threatened Deena. She’s using this to make me look bad. She’s angry at me and she’s lying.”
    “The only one lying around here seems to be you. And I’m no longer going to be a party to your disgusting lies, nor will I enable your immoral behavior.”
    “Immoral? Are you serious?”
    “Do not call me again, Caelyn. Do not show up at our house, you’re not welcome here. We have to protect Deena, she’s a minor and she needs to know that she’s safe from you and your new friend.”
    “Fine. I understand,” Caelyn said softly. She was stunned and shocked. The world was seeming gray and far away, as if seen through a pane of foggy glass.
    “We love you, but we cannot condone the horrible choices you’ve made. Our door will only be open to you when you’re ready to be truly honest, and when you stop hurting the people who care most about you.”
    “I won’t call again,” Caelyn said, and then she hung up the phone.

    ***
    She was lying in bed when Elijah came home from work.
    The apartment door opened and she didn’t even lift her head from the pillow.
    “Caelyn?” he called out from the other room.
    “In here,” she said, trying to yell, but her voice was weak.
    He entered the room, his eyebrows rising in surprise and concern when he saw her lying there. “What’s wrong?” he said.
    “I’m an idiot. I called my mother.”
    “Shit,” he said, and walked over, sat down next to her. He brushed her hair back from her face and gave her one of his lopsided grins. “Moms exist to make their kids feel bad,” he said. “Don’t you know that?”
    “This is different,” Caelyn said. Her nose was stuffy from crying, and her eyes felt dry, having been completely drained of tears. “She literally hates me. You have no idea the horrible things she said to me.”
    He continued stroking her hair, which was soothing in the way that only he seemed to be able to be. “Come on, now,” he said. His eyes were soft as he looked at her. “Whatever she said, I guarantee she didn’t mean it. She’s just upset and hurt.
    That’s all it is.”
    “Deena told my parents that we came in the house and threatened her with bodily harm, forcing her to give me back my purse.”
    Elijah laughed for a moment, until he saw the look on Caelyn’s face. “Your parents believed that crap?”
    “Apparently.”
    “Well, the truth will come out in the end, it always does.”
    “You really believe that?”
    He paused. “No.” Then his mouth twitched into a smile once more. “But I want to make you feel better, kid.”
    “Tell me something nice about your day. Please. That’ll help me.”
    He licked his lips and sighed, suddenly unable to meet her gaze. “Well, I’m not sure you’re going to like what I have to say.”
    She sat up in bed, her back against the headboard. “Elijah, what happened?” Her