My Life From Hell (The Blooming Goddess #3)

Mommy Dearest (Part 4)

My right wrist still burned. I hadn't finished the oath. My sight wavered. My body vibrated with rage.

"Calm down, Goddess."

I ignored Kai.

"Sophie, the rims of your eyes are turning black," he said, grasping my shoulders.

I shook him free. I didn't care.

"Finish the oath, daughter," Felicia said. "Then Bethany and I can chat."

There was a loud crraaaack from outside. Loud enough to be heard twenty-three floors up.

Everyone except me turned to the window. I kept my sights on Bethany and Felicia.

"Magoo," Theo said, his worry evident, "you just broke the branches on all the trees in a two block radius."

I barely registered him. My entire world had shrunk down to the two people before me. My body was rigid with the will power it took to use my words and not my fury. "The night of the Winter Formal you claimed to love me, Felicia. Was it all a lie?"

"No," she said slowly.

"Then how can you align yourself with someone who stabbed me? Murdering Persephone wasn't enough for you? You had to team up with likeminded others?"

Bethany chortled her amusement.

Later for you, I vowed.

Felicia uncrossed her legs and leaned back in the chair. "Well, darling, you do have that affect on people. Maybe you need to take a hard look at yourself and figure out why you prompt that reaction in so many. Now, the oath?"

I kept silent, my eyes hard and unwavering.

Felicia could tell I'd say nothing until she answered my question. "I wanted power, you refused to help me get it. Bethany is my Plan B. I help her achieve her goals—"

"Told you I'd be famous." Bethany didn't even bother to look over as she spoke. She was too busy braiding a thick strand of hair.

"And in return," Felicia continued, "with the world at Bethany's feet, she helps me rebuild the adoration I knew before."

"Your building your power," Theo cut in.

Felicia acknowledged him with a one-shouldered shrug. She picked up her glass.

"For what?" I demanded.

Felicia's grip on the booze tightened. "I answered your question. Now say the damn oath."

Ordinarily, the pain in my wrist might have been enough to make me say it. But I was so far into my own hurt and anger that I could absorb the fire I felt, and add it to my own hot indignation.

I could feel the pain sliding away. Out of my wrist, through my arm, and into my fiery core. My wrist stopped hurting. Flush with the triumph of that, I shook my head. "My end of the deal is off."

Everyone in the room looked horrified. "But you swore," Theo said. "You can't go back on that."

"Technically, I never finished."

"Yeah, but the spirit of the thing," he began.

"Can kiss my ass."

"Think this through, Goddess," Kai urged.

I funneled every ounce of rage and destruction into a megawatt smile, and turned it on Felicia. "I will die before I hand power over to you."

"That can and will be arranged," she said.

"Happy to take another shot at it," Bethany offered, starting a matching braid.

I ignored her and delivered the best part. "Here's the thing though, Mom, you did swear. So I'll be taking that safe passage on the equinox."

Felicia was super ticked off now. She knew I had her. "Last chance, Sophie. Finish the oath or you'll be sorry."

The room was thick with tension.

"Bite me." My voice was steady, but inside I seethed.

"Then you leave me no choice." She looked at Kiki. "Make it hurt."