Quinn was able to find a spot to park in not far from her dorm. Her mother got out and slammed the door harder than Quinn would have liked. The thought that she was taking ownership of the car was another chip in her armor. Yes, Rain’s name was on it. But all she’d have to do was say the word and he’d sign it over to her.

She owned a car. She’d thought she would have to find something for work and had started saving a little, but a car as nice as Hazel wasn’t even in her five or ten-year plan.

“Just so we’re clear, I’m going to be dating Rain. So I’m glad you visited, but you might as well go home if that was the only reason you came here.” Quinn tried to keep her voice, and her pace steady as they walked towards her building.

“So I’m supposed to give you my blessing and go home?”

“You’re supposed to support me and trust that I can succeed or fail on my own.”

“Well, I’m a terrible mother then. Because I don’t want you hurt and I don’t want you to have to fail. I want you to keep your head down, graduate and become someone.” Her mother was frustrated and Quinn actually felt a little guilty.

“No, you are just trying to keep me from experiencing pain. I’m trying to tell you that if there is pain, it’s mine to deal with.”

“I won’t say that I don’t think you are making a terrible decision, because you are.”

“That’s fine, I can accept that.”

They had walked up to her dorm and from the shadows a body stepped into the light. Quinn should have known.

“Ms. Sutton,” Rain said formally, holding out his hand. He was dressed in his usual dark jeans and shirt. He had on a leather jacket that looked like he could head straight out for a motorcycle ride. His eyes were on her as he spoke to her mother.

“Let me guess—tall, dark, and handsome. You must be the mountain man.” Her mother cocked her hip out and was practically bouncing with annoyance.

“I’m Rainier Rochon, I’m happy to meet you.”

“Well, I’m not happy to meet you!” Her mother spat out.

“Fuck me, Mona, ease up.”

“I’m supposed to fall over because he’s all dressed up fancy and has fancy manners?”

“No, you are supposed to be polite when someone introduces themselves. Rain, what are you doing here?”

He gave a shrug and glanced at her mom before zeroing in on her. “I had a feeling you might need me.”

“Oh, what, he’s got that ESPN thing?”

“ESP mom, and no, he doesn’t.” Explaining what kind of connection Rain had with her was also not on her five-year plan.

“I try to make sure I’m there for Quinn whenever she needs me. Morning, noon, or night, I’m available to her. For anything.”

“Just her knight in shining armor, huh?” Her mom’s voice was dripping sarcasm. Quinn was mortified. She better hope that whatever connection that Rain’s mating thing was stronger than her mom’s attitude.

“If that’s what she needs then, yes, white horse and all. I love your daughter, Ms. Sutton. I will always love her and always take care of her.”

“Until you don’t,” her mother scoffed.

“The only way I can prove it to you is with time.”

Her mother was moving from sarcasm to anger. “I don’t need time to know how this ends. Men are users and abusers. You’ll never convince me otherwise.”

“I’m sorry you were hurt, Ms. Sutton. I can only promise that will never happen to Quinn. She’s my heart and my soul. That will never change.”

Quinn watched the exchange between her man, shit she thought of him as her man, and her mom. Rain was being polite and respectful, keeping his calm when she would have been screaming at Mona.

“Would it help if I called you regularly? I can do that, let you know how things are going? Maybe you’d like to come out to Apex and visit my family? I’m sure they’d love to meet you. I’ve been trying to get Quinn out there.”

“I’m sure your rich uppity parents will think Quinn isn’t good enough for you. They’d probably spit on her as soon as look at her.”

“Mom! You don’t know these people so stop putting your shit on them. Rain says they’re nice, and if they are anything like him then I’m sure they would be kind to me. You’re the only one that is acting poorly right now. You’re being embarrassing.” Quinn hissed the last sentence, feeling tears well up in her eyes.

Her mom was outlandish and brash, but she’d never really been embarrassed by her until now. She was being cruel, and it was partly directed at her own daughter. With all Quinn had accomplished, her mother still wasn’t willing to see her as anything more than a waitress’s daughter that didn’t have two nickels to rub together.

“Mom? Don’t you think I’m good enough for Rain?” Quinn couldn’t keep the pain out of her voice as she asked the question that she didn’t really want to hear the answer to. .

Those eyes so like hers turned towards her and she shook her head sadly. “Quinnlynn, you are good enough for what you want to be. But guys like him? They will never be happy until their women are plastic, bland, and totally fake. It’s what they expect, and I don’t want you to take your bright, intelligent self and dumb yourself down for him. It won’t be worth it, trust me.”

Rain moved closer to her and slid his arms around Quinn’s waist, pulling her close to his body. He didn’t need to say anything; he was telling her with touch that he had her back. It was a huge gesture, and a tear slide down Quinn’s cheek.

“Mom, I think it’s time you headed back home. I’m going to see this through and if you can’t support me, I can’t have you sabotaging me.” Quinn whispered the words because her cracking voice couldn’t do anything more. It was finally clear that her mom still doubted her so much after all this time, and her heart was breaking. Her mom loved her, sure, but she obviously didn’t trust her.

“Fine, just don’t come crying to me when he wipes the floor with you,” she said angrily.

“Ms. Sutton, I love Quinn and I’ll make sure she’s as safe and happy as I can make her. No matter what was said tonight, you will always be welcome in my family. I hope a little time and distance will change your opinion of me.”

Quinn wanted to turn around and hug Rain, bury her face in his chest and shut out the world. She was so mad at her mom that in that moment, she didn’t care if she ever saw her again. Rain was already trying to repair the breach. He knew that they needed each other, and that the future was a long time to go without your mom.

“Whatever.” Mona gave Quinn a last look that was angry and also a little sad.

Quinn didn’t have anything else to say to her mom. Anything that came out of her mouth right now would just make the situation worse, so it was better that she kept her lips pressed tightly together.

Mona turned with an angry huff, stomping off into the dark. Quinn couldn’t even watch her walk away. Her mom was doing what every man had ever done to her, except this time she was doing it to her own child.

“Babe, go inside. I’m going to make sure your mom gets to her place safe. I’ll stay back; she won’t know I’m there. Then I’ll be right up after that, okay?”

Quinn nodded and sniffed. He was going to make sure her mom was safe even after she’d been such a hag to him. He was too nice to be real.

“Okay,” she said. Quinn felt a kiss on the top of her head and she felt her eyes close against the sweetness. Rain walked her to the door of her building and she walked through the door alone, tossing a look over her shoulder at him.

“I’ll be right back,” he promised.

She nodded and noticed that she had wrapped her arms around her body like she was keeping everything tucked tight inside. It hurt to breathe and she wanted Rain, needed him to be touching her. She was sure that she wouldn’t be able to take a decent breath until he returned.

* * *

Rain didn’t lurk in the shadows as he followed Quinn’s mom down the street. He wasn’t being sneaky because he didn’t need to. Her mom was oblivious to her surroundings and got turned around a few times. Occasionally he’d see her hand come up to her face like she was wiping away tears, but from what Quinn had told him about her mother, he couldn’t be sure.

He didn’t understand the anger that was inside Mona, but the hurt that had to have caused it was deep, and those wounds didn’t always heal.

But she was his mate’s mother and he’d make sure that she was safe. His bear was tearing at his mind wanting to defend their mate, even if it was from her own mother. Rain couldn’t help but think of the joy that would engulf his parents when he introduced them to his mate. His mom would throw a party just to welcome her. The thought that Quinn could use that kind of support right about now was making him want to make plans again.

Mona finally made it to an apartment building that wasn’t in a terrible part of town and he made sure that she got inside and the door closed behind her.

Turning around he picked up his phone and dialed Fin’s number.

“Sup?”

“Fin, it’s well past 2001, can we not do ‘sup anymore?”

There was a small pause. “Nope.”

“Fine. Hey, can you be at home this weekend?”

“Hadn’t planned on it, but yeah. Why?”

“I’m bringing my mate home.” Rain’s bear roared in approval in his head. He needed to hear that as much as Rain did. It was time his mate saw what family was really like.

“Fuck man, congratulations. I’ll be there, hell yeah. Do mom and dad know? I’m assuming it’s Quinn.”

“Yes, it’s Quinn and no, I’m going to get her to Cash and Cassie’s and see if they can talk her into meeting mom and dad.”

“Hah! Chicken shit,” his brother laughed.

“Totally, but I know where my skills lie.”

“I’ve got your back, man. Always.”

“Thanks, bro. Quinn’s mom just ruined our evening so I need to go take care of her.”

“I’m sure you do. I’m guessing I won’t see you tonight?”

“Odds aren’t good.”

“I could find somewhere else for tonight. Throw a sock over the doorknob you know.”

“Classy, but no thanks.”

“Okay, go cuddle your mate. You owe us a run, though, this weekend.”

Rain’s bear readily agreed. “Will do.”

He hit end on his phone and picked up his pace to get back to Quinn. As he walked he ran through all the different ways that he could get her to understand that meeting his family was a good idea, and he came up with a few possibilities to get her there.