Mated to the Alpha and His Beta (Lanie Stanton) novel Chapter 483

Chapter 483
Stella

“Oh, my sister will shit a ton of bricks if she found out her precious little snookum-ookums was out last night. At the Crescent, of all places? Girly, she never even liked going there herself. She said it was trashy.” Selena snorted more laughter and shook her head. She put the mug on the table and swiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “Shit. What were you doing there?”

I put the decanter of vodka back on the cart while I tried to get myself into some kind of emotional coolness. Selena had really made me mad. Hurt my feelings, too.

With my back to her, I said, “Why are you being so mean to me for no reason?”

“Aww, puddin’. I get that you think you’re special, but trust me. I’m just a bitch to everyone.”

I took the seat next to hers. “I don’t think I’m special. I actually am special, Aunt Selena.”

“So fucking earnest, too. And don’t call me that.” She grimaced.

“Why not?”

“Because I told you not to, kid, and I’m your elder.”

“Don’t say that,” I told her harshly. “Don’t call yourself anyone’s elder. That’s…they’re gone.”

Selena’s mean laughter faded. So did her smile. She studied me in silence, and after a few seconds, shook her head. “You’re a piece of work. I can tell you’re my sister’s daughter, all right. You both have the same smug, self-satisfied face.”

My hands flew up to touch my cheeks. At her wide eyes, I put them down. I tried hard to stop myself from frowning. “I don’t. And you shouldn’t talk about my mother that way.”

“I’ll talk about her any way I want to. She was my sister long before she was your mother.”

“But…it’s mean,” I said, sounding helpless. “I just don’t understand.”