Golden Cage Mommy Mutiny (Elyse) novel Chapter 74

Chapter 3

I stayed.

At first I wanted to slip away and let these idiots find their own doom, but the Porsche was legally mine even if Derek was driving, and Tessa and her friends were just freeloaders in my car–if anyone pressed charges, I’d be dragged in.

So I hung back and watched, hoping for a chance to explain things to the other driver.

They stormed up to the damaged car like a pack on the hunt, and Derek followed close behind.

I kept a careful distance, ready to run the second things went sideways.

Tessa kicked the other car’s door and screamed at the window, “Can’t you see you hit a Porsche? Get out here and pay up, I’m not playing! It’s no joke!”

I almost laughed–she’d never even asked the real driver a thing–but then the other car’s door opened and a young man stepped out, mask and shades on.

He was tall and thin, nothing like the TV version of Vincent Crowe, but anyone with ties to Crowe was still trouble, so I dared to underestimate him.

Seeing only one person inside, Tessa grew bolder; she jabbed the bat at him and demanded, “Pay up

one million, not a cent less.”

This was my moment; I pulled Tessa back and stepped forward to speak for us. “That car’s mine,” I said. “My boyfriend was driving and caused the accident–this was our fault. There’s no need for compensation.”

Then I pointed at Tessa and her two friends. “These three were just riding in my car and they started this I didn’t stop them in time; I apologize.”

A few calm sentences and I’d severed my connection to them.

Tessa shoved me aside, furious. “Your car? Big deal! I’ve got a concussion from that crash–he owes me medical bills.”

She thrust her hand at the masked man. “Pay up now, or I’m not being nice.”

Her friends chanted, “Pay up!” in a chorus.

The man didn’t flinch or cow; instead he tilted his head and asked coolly, “So it was you who threw bottles and sprayed my car?”

He sounded young, but he carried a presence beyond his years–calm, unflappable, like someone used to a lot of eyes on him.

Tessa sneered. “Yeah, I smashed a bottle and we peed on your car, so what?”

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“Don’t honk at me like that,” she scoffed. “You think you can take me on?”

Her friends jumped in, “We helped–say one more word and we really will get it all over you!”

The man pinched his nose in mock disgust, then said, low and steady, “Don’t think numbers make you untouchable; my dashcam feeds straight to my dad’s phone–everything’s been recorded.”

“If I were you,” he went on, “I’d run, not threaten me.”

Hearing that–not backing down and basically daring them–Tessa exploded.

She swung the bat and cracked it into his face, cursing, “You think you’re so special? Call your dad

-I’ll beat him too!”

Chapter 4

The blow landed hard–Tessa had swung with everything she had. The man’s mask and sunglasses flew off, and for a stunned second everyone just stared.

He was young–barely twenty, maybe—but too strikingly handsome to mistake for anyone

ordinary.

He froze, clearly not expecting that anyone would actually dare to hit him.

Covering his cheek, his eyes flared. “You hit me?” he said, his voice sharp. “My dad is Vincent Crowe. If he finds out you touched me, he’ll have your hands fed to his dogs.”

Seeing his face, their fury twisted into something nastier–mocking smiles, predatory glints.

Tessa licked her lips, eyes crawling over him. “Vincent Crowe? Never heard of him,” she sneered.

“He’s nothing to me. But you, pretty boy–you’re something else.”

“Spend three days with me and we’ll call it even. How’s that for a deal?”

Her friends burst out laughing. “Make it three days with all of us, and we’ll forget the whole thing!”

They swayed closer, a drunken, reckless pack.

The young man backed away, voice rising. “What the hell is wrong with you people? Get away from

me.”

Derek’s face twisted when he saw Tessa ogling the guy; jealousy burned hot in his eyes.

That was my opening–I shoved Tessa aside and pulled the boy behind me.

I stood between them, cold and steady. “Do you have no shame?” I snapped. “He’s barely nineteen,

and you’re circling him like vultures. Look at yourselves.”

Tessa pointed at me, seething. “Get out of my way, Mira, or I’ll hit you too.”

I raised my voice so everyone could hear. “Three grown women harassing a kid–don’t you disgusting?”

“Even if you beat me to death, I’m not moving.”

feel

The boy’s breath brushed my ear as he whispered, “Thanks… ma’am,” his voice quiet but earnest.

Before I could reply, Tessa lunged again, dragging her friends with her.

While I was grappling with Tessa and her two friends, Derek suddenly lunged forward and slapped the young man across the face. “You crash my car and now you’re trying to steal my girl? I’ll kill you, you little bastard!”

Everything erupted at once–shouting, shoving, chaos–until a convoy screeched to a stop along

Chapter 4

the shoulder.

Doors flew open and men in black suits poured out, kicking Derek aside and pulling the boy to

safety.

In seconds, we were all surrounded. The men bowed in unison. “Mr. Crowe.”

Then a man in a long fur coat stepped forward, his voice smooth and cold. “Seal off the road,” he ordered. “I’m breaking my vow tonight.”