Read Indebted: Part 1: The Virgin & The Bad-Boy Billionaire (A BWWM Billionaire Romance) for Free Online

from my arms, her eyes soften and the harsh edges of her face relax as she looks at the relic from her past. She delicately places the frame back on the shelf before turning toward me accusingly. “What are you doing in here anyway?”
     
    “I took a wrong turn. Girls like me aren’t used to such big fancy houses, I guess.”
     
    Her face pinches. “More like you were snooping. Well, I hope you found what you came for. As you can see, Mattie and I have a long history.” She glances at the much younger, softer version of herself on the mantle again. “He just needs some time to get his wild days out of his system with some cheap girls like you, but he’ll come back to me. He always does.” The last part sounds like a threat. Obviously, this woman has some issues with closure. Either way, I’m not invested enough in “Mattie” to put up with this bitch’s drama, but the way she keeps making her digs at me has brought out my nasty side.
     
    “I can see why he liked you.” I nod at the photo. “You were so pretty then. What was that?” I look at her hair and her hardened face. “Twelve or fifteen years ago?”
     
    “Listen you little bitch, if you think you’re special just because Mattie brought you out for a night, you better think again. He won’t even remember your name next week, sweetheart.” She bares her teeth like she might lunge for my throat and try to rip it out.
     
    “Marjorie! What is going on in here?” Matthew quickly closes the gap between us, striding over to my side and firmly placing himself between myself and his rabid ex. His shoulders look even broader now that he’s standing up straight with his chin squared. He narrows his eyes at her while she withers in front of my eyes like the wicked witch with some water poured on her.
     
    “Nothing Mattie, I was just giving Kendra a few facts, that’s all.” She stiffens her lip but won’t look him in the eye.
     
    “Sounded more like a history lesson,” I reply, leaning into Matthew’s warm, hard body for emphasis. I do a victory dance inside when he wraps his arm around me.
     
    “I thought I made myself clear earlier, back off Marj. I won’t ask you again.” He hasn’t raised his voice, and yet it fills the room, making his message known to every nook and cranny in here.
     
    Marjorie blinks repeatedly, but she pulls her shoulders back and composes herself in an instant. “I do understand, Mattie. I understand that we’re still playing this little game.”
     
    “It isn’t a game!” His voice thunders off the walls and echoes down the hall. I shudder from the power of it, and half expect someone to come running in to see what’s going on. “It has been years, Marjorie, I don’t know how many times you expect me to go through this with you,” he says less angrily.
     
    “If you don’t love me then why do you keep that picture of us then? Tell me that! You obviously still care.” She has a point there.
     
    “I keep that picture as a reminder of the damage that money can do. How it can rot something that was once pure from the inside,” he speaks through his clenched teeth.
     
    “Oh please don’t turn this into another one of your poor-little-rich-boy moments, Mattie. Next you’ll be spouting off about all your Daddy issues…”
     
    Matthew releases me and grabs her by the wrist violently, twisting it in the air. “Enough!”
     
    Marjorie’s eyes grow wide with surprise, but she quickly calms down. “Oh, is this foreplay, Mattie? You might as well let your dark meat know what you’re into now. Not that she’ll care. I bet she’ll do just about anything for some cash, won’t ya honey?”
     
    Matthew jerks her arm higher, and she yelps. “You need to leave now, Marj.” He throws down her hand in disgust and wraps his arm around me, gently guiding me toward the door. “Don’t make me call security on you… again,” he warns her over his shoulder as we walk away. I peek back and watch Marjorie