Page 169 of Scandalous Contract

“Ma!” she shouted, cutting me off. “Why is Julian Cattaneo in your phone? In our house? Cooking in our kitchen, lying on our couch,in your bed?!”

I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. I had no words. I mean, I had the words, but I couldn’t voice them.

Her eyes widened even more. “Oh God... are you screwing him?”

My silence answered for me. India made a gagging noise, heaving like she was about to be sick. Ronnie stepped in, hands raised like he was the ref in a street fight.

“You two need to sit down and talk this through...” Ronnie mediated.

“You knew?” India turned to him, voice sharp as a knife, eyes wounded. “You knew about this, too, Ronnie?”

“No, sweetie,” I rushed out, not wanting her to be mad at Ronnie also. “I hadn’t told anyone yet. I was waiting to tell you first,” I lied and instantly felt guilty.

“So it’s real?” she asked, stepping back like she needed space from me, from the truth. “You’re really sleeping with Julian Cattaneo?”

I swallowed. Hard. “We’re... dating. Sort of. I care about him, India. Deeply.”

She backed up again. “Ma, he’s young enough to be your child.”

“Not quite,” Ronnie cut in. “Your mom would’ve had to have been ten for that to be true.”

“You know what I mean!” India snapped.

Oh, hell no.There would be none of that.

“Excuse me,” I said, cocking my head to the side. “You can be upset. You can complain about this. But you’re not going to talk to me or Ronnie like you’ve lost your damn mind.”

“I’m not the one who lost their mind, Ma. You are. Is that why you don’t like Hudson? Because you had Julian stashed away the whole time?”

I crossed my arms. “I don’t have to justify who I love. Not even to you, sweetie.”

She stumbled back as if I’d struck her. More guilt hummed through me.

“You can’t love my roommate’s brother, ma,” she said, desperate. “What will my friends say? I already told you how awkward things have been for me. And now you’ve made it worse.”

Those words? They sliced away at my heart, my pride. But she wasn’t done cutting me up yet. She kept going.

“They’re going to call you a cougar, Ma. You know that, right? They’ll say you’re chasing after some young guy because you’re desperate. And that you’ll do anything to keep him.”

“Julian’s not that young,” I muttered.

“He’s notyourage, Ma.”

That one stung.

“I’m sorry this upsets you,” I said, jaw tight. “I didn’t plan on hiding it this long. I just wanted to be sure before I told you.”

She blinked like I slapped her. “And now you’re sure? You’re sure about Julian Cattaneo?”

“I am,” I said, meaning it. “I love him, Indi. He makes me happy. He sees me. He puts me first.”

She shook her head. “He’s just using you. There’s no way he loves you back.”

That hit me harder than I expected. “Why wouldn’t he?”

She didn’t hesitate. “He can have anyone. And you think he just... picked you?”

I squared my shoulders. “Hedidpick me.”