Page 32 of One Bad Idea

From the open doorway, I glared at the woman who'd been giving Cassidy such a hard time. She looked to be around sixty years old, and was very petite with short red hair. She wore tan shorts, a white cotton blouse, and a scowl so big, it might've knocked me backward if only I weren't so angry myself.

But Iwasangry. Her last comment – the one about her daughter crying on the couch – had gone completely unchallenged.

Apparently, we were supposed to feel guilty.

I didn't.

And I didn't want to Cassidy to feel guilty either.

I told the woman, "Yeah? Well maybe your daughter's a horrible person. You ever think of that?"

Her face flushed with obvious anger. "What?"

I took a single step forward. "Yeah, I said it. Because it's true. Do you know, when I called last night, she told me that my friend was whoring herself out for drinks and gas money?"

From a few feet away, Cassidy gave a little gasp. "What?"

"Yeah," I said, turning to face her. "And just so you know, the word 'whoring' was hers, not mine."

Cassidy turned and gave Jax a long, worried look. I could see why. He looked like he wanted to kill someone. I only prayed that it wasn't me or my friend.

I looked back to Cassidy and tried to explain. "Last night, I called you right back—"

"But wait," she said. "How could you? I didn't have my phone."

"I know," I said. "That's why I called the number you left that message from."

"Oh." Her mouth tightened. "What else did she say?"

Reluctantly, I glanced around. Isodidn't want to reveal it, especially in front of both brothers, not to mention the crazy redhead.

My gaze landed on Jaden, leaning sideways against the wall. He was wearing the same jeans as before, along with a black T-shirt that sported a skull on the front.

So hedidown a shirt?Go figure.

Unfortunately, he looked annoyingly good inthat, too.How unfair was that?

I looked back to Cassidy and muttered, "Nothing."

"No," Cassidy insisted. "Tell me."

"Alright, fine." I lowered my voice. "She said the two brothers would be sharing you."

Cassidy was staring now. "And you believed her?"

"No. Of course not." I bit my lip. "It's not that I believed her, but there's the thing with your mom and, well, you know what I think ofher."

Of course, Cassidy knew. A week earlier, we'd had a huge argument about it. I'd known that Cassidy was making a terrible mistake, moving down here to give her mom another chance.

A chance to what? Ruin her life?

In the heat of the moment, I'd said some things that weren't very nice, even if theyweretrue. Her mom was a liar. And a user. And way too interested in Cassidy's looks, which yes, were beyond stunning.

Based on what I knew of her mom, I'd had visions of Cassidy being pimped out or pressured into a hard and fast lifestyle – one that she'd never want for herself.

Still, in hindsight, losing my temper hadn't accomplished a single thing, except to create a giant rift, one that I was desperate to mend.

Now, standing in the quiet hallway, I gave Cassidy a pleading look.Say something. Please?