Page 76 of Flawless

I hid my smile when Rylee gaped at her. “We don’t need your permission to get married, Mama. Cam is here because…” She drew a deep breath. “We’ll get to that in a minute. How are you? How’s your health?”

She shrugged before glancing over at a middle-aged woman, who was clearly an inmate, hugging a teenage girl. “Same.”

“The medication’s helping?” Rylee asked.

“How the hell should I know?” she snapped. “Do I look like a doctor?”

I leaned in, lowering my voice when I said, “Why don’t you calm down? Your daughter asked you a question, because she’s concerned about your well-being. Why don’t you try thanking her for caring and answer her like a civilized human being? Because we all know you’ve done nothing to deserve her kindness.”

Her mouth dropped open before she snapped it shut again. “Who the hell do you think you are? Just because you’re sleeping with my daughter doesn’t mean you can talk to me like that.”

“I’ve spent my entire career dealing with people like you,” I said, trying to control my temper. “People who refuse to take responsibility for the damage they’ve done and the heartache they’ve caused their loved ones.”

“You don’t know a damn thing about me!”

“Cam,” Rylee said, gently. “You don’t have to defend me. It’s okay.”

“It’s not okay,” I said, feeling the disgust swell up. “She’s been treating you like this your whole life. And I know that, because I’ve known a hundred women just like her, who’ve gone to prison and left their families to pick up the pieces.”

“Babe,” Rylee said, touching my back. “You’re wasting your breath.”

“I don’t care,” I said, staring down her mother. “And you may not care either,” I said to her. “You may not care about how much you hurt Rylee. You may not care that she had to take care of herself because you weren’t strong enough to face your demons.”

“I don’t have to listen to this,” she said, standing.

“You’re right, you don’t,” I said. “But if you leave now, you’ll never meet your grandchild.”

“My what?” She stared at Rylee. “You’re pregnant?”

Rylee nodded. “That’s what we came here to tell you, Mama. We’re pregnant. The baby is due in early May.”

Looking stunned, she sank back down, resting her folded hands on the tabletop. “A baby?” she whispered. “Really?”

I was surprised by the transformation. Her whole body, including her facial expression softened when she said the word baby.

Her eyes narrowed at me. “Are you gonna do right by my girl? Marry her?”

“Mama!” Rylee said, sounding mortified. “Cam doesn’t have to marry me just because we’re having a baby. He’s⁠—”

“It’s okay,” I said to Rylee, gently. “I don’t mind answering her questions.” To her mama, I said, “I’d love nothing more than to marry your daughter, when she decides the time is right.”

“Are you willing to sign a pre-nup?” she asked. “My daughter’s gonna be worth millions, if she’s not already.”

“Mama, please.” Rylee covered her face with her hands. “Cam doesn’t care about my money.”

Her mother snorted. “That’s what you think, honey. You might think a man is honorable until he starts seeing you as a meal-ticket. Then⁠—”

“I’d have no problem signing a pre-nup,” I said to shut her up.

Rylee was right. I couldn’t care less about how much money she had or made in the future, but I would expect any lawyer worth their salt to demand I sign one before we got married.

“Good.” She nodded, looking satisfied. “So, you’re a cop, huh?”

“A sheriff in Oklahoma,” Rylee said. “I told you that.”

“So, how the hell is he gonna be in your kid’s life if he’s living in another state?” she asked Rylee.

“We’re still working out the details.”