Read Online Stand of Redemption by Cathryn Williams - Free Book Online Page B

couldn’t get her into a better rehab center. The only bright side to their situation was there wasn’t enough money for her mother to purchase the drugs that would put the final nail in her coffin.
    Ria pulled into the parking lot and checked her face before getting out of the car, deciding she looked normal enough.
    As she walked in the door, she could smell the aroma from the meal her mother had prepared for her. She couldn’t help smiling; nothing beat her mother’s cooking. Ria couldn’t remember the last time she had cooked, though.
    “Hi, Mom,” she called over the running water in the sink.
    Her mother turned and smiled. “There’s my baby! It took much too long.” Her mother quickly turned the water off and dried her hands, rushing to give Ria a hug.
    Ria hugged her tightly back and forced herself not to cry at the love she felt from her.
    “How was the exam?” her mother asked.
    “Fine, I should get the results in about a month,” Ria lied. No reason to upset her mother until she had confirmed her failure.
    “Here, sit.” Her mother pulled out a chair.
    Ria sat down as her mother busied herself getting Ria’s plate together. She used to love babying Ria every chance she could until the situation had become reversed and Ria had b ecome the caretaker of her mother.
    She was her mother’s youngest. She’d had two half-brothers from her mother’s previous marriage; however, one had died as a teenager and the other one had died recently. Ria knew their deaths added a burden to her mother’s soul that she would never recover from. Although they had been her half-brothers and both had terrified her when they had been alive, she felt her mother’s pain and wished every night for her to find solace.
    “What did you cook?” Ria asked.
    “Your favorite, of course.” She opened the oven, pulling out her chili rellenos casserole.
    Surprised, tears came to Ria’s eyes. Her mother hadn’t made her favorite dish since she was a little girl. She stared down at the casserole, fighting back the waves of emotions.
    “It looks delicious.”
    Her mother patted her on the back. “Eat. Tell me if it is as good as I used to make.” Her mother sat down across from her, watching as she filled a plate.
    “You’re not eating?”
    “I’m not hungry. I’ll eat some later.”
    “Mama, you need to eat more. You’ve lost so much weight.”
    “I will. I promise.” Her mother twisted her hands together. Ria dropped the subject, not wanting to upset her.
    “Mom, is something wrong?” Ria asked. Something didn’t seem right.
    “No, honey. Enjoy your lunch,” her mom deflected.
    Ria began to eat slowly, furtively studying her mother. Her mind was racing. She knew something had to be wrong. It was obvious her mother was having a hard time today—she was antsy and couldn’t sit still.
    She finished the food and told her mom how delicious it was. She saw the sparkle in her mother’s eyes as she complimented the food. Ria watched the smile spread across her mother’s face. Her mother deserved a better daughter, one that could get her the help she needed.
    “Okay, Mama, now tell me what’s really going on.”
    “Ria, I don’t want to burden you; you already do so much for me.” Her mom sighed.
    Ria felt her stomach clench; she was afraid of what she was going to hear next.
    “Mitchell came by last night while you were at work.” Ria’s blood ran cold. Mitchell was her cousin’s subordinate in the cartel.
    “Mom, why didn’t you tell me?”
    “I didn’t want to worry you before your exam. Emiliano wants to see you.”
    “No!” Ria was unable to hold back her horrified response.
    “I told Mitchell that is what you would say. He said he expected to hear from you by tonight.”
    Their terrified eyes clung together.
    “I won’t see him . He has no power over us.” Her false bravado didn’t reassure either one of them. Emiliano was a dangerous man who had assumed her brother Alejandro’s powerful