Kendrick's POV
The slam of the door was like a gunshot in the room, slicing through the fragile silence Christy and I had been holding on to.
My head snapped up instantly, my heart dropping into my stomach the second I saw her standing there.
My mother, Lauretta.
Her face was twisted in fury, eyes narrowed into sharp slits that pinned Christy.
"You witch!"she yelled while pointing at her.
Instinct kicked in before I could think and my hand tightened around Christy's instantly, pulling her closer to me and shielding her with my body as though my mother had come in here wielding a knife.
The heat of Christy's palm in mine made me feel slightly better.
"Mother," I said slowly, forcing my voice to be steady, though rage burned beneath my skin.
"What are you doing here?" I asked her while trying to control my anger.
